The (not so) Grateful Departed
by The Bloody Red Queen Of Angst
Summary: "Have you ever been stabbed in the back? By someone you trusted with your very life? A partner? A friend? If the answer to this question is no...then count yourself among the fortunate. But...if the answer is yes. Well...then you might be able to empathize with my resentment." Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket or the movie R.I.P.D.
1. This Is How It Ends?

**A/N: This story is a new concept for me, as this is moving into more of the crime thriller/comedy realm. This project is based off of the movie R.I.P.D. with Ryan Reynolds. I highly suggest you watch it, as it is amazingly funny.**

**Now...originally...I had ventured to have this project as another collaboration with the one and only, amazingly brilliant Fandom Angst. But...alas...they are very busy doing the most amazing things these days!**

**That being said, I also found out that today is their birthday! So, this story is for you, Fandom Angst! Happy Birthday to my partner...my friend...the other half of my sick and twisted literary mind! May you never turn your back on me and shoot me in the face.**

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_Have you ever been stabbed in the back? By someone you trusted with your very life? A partner? A friend?_

_If the answer to this question is no...then count yourself among the fortunate._

_But...if the answer is yes._

_Well...then you might be able to empathize with my resentment._

"Hey Yuki! Get your ass in gear!" The dark voice barked out as attention was immediately drawn to its source in the deviating beauty of a man who had snarled these words out.

_That...is my partner. Or...as least he had been. For over ten years. Akito Sohma. One of Kyoto P.D.'s finest. Oh sure, the man was wound tighter than a rubber band around a wrist, known to snap unexpectedly. But it was always toward the 'perps.' And they always deserved it._

"I'm increasingly concerned about the amount of attention you give my ass, Akito." Another voice drawled out in a snort of amusement. "The guys are starting to talk about you..." And these words were met with a dark chortle of laughter.

_And that's me... Perfect officer. Perfect partner. Some say I took the job a little too seriously. Maybe I should have listened._

_But the uniform was my life. I would have done anything for my brothers. My partner. When I took the oath of position as an officer...I told myself I would die for these men. And I meant it._

_...I...just didn't think I would be dying so soon..._

"Let them talk." The darker voice laughed. "They're just jealous because they know we're the best, Yuki." The words continued with only the slightest of pauses. "You and me, Yuki. We have each others backs. And we get the job done." The voice gained a small level of intensity. "So lets get the job done." And these words of camaraderie were sealed in a solid fist bump of agreement.

_But when you're tasked with becoming an undercover narc within your own precinct, and given authorization to engage in illegal surveillance to uncover inside corruption..._

_Well...lets just say that this isn't the best way to make friends. But it's a hell of a way to make enemies._

_And it's amazing how quickly these two become one in the same._

"We have another lead?" The softer voice lilted as the two men moved into the police car, the doors slamming resound and resolute.

"Yeah." The darker voice murmured in response. "A big lead."

"Is this the one we've been waiting for?" The question asked in anticipation.

"I think so. This is the big time, partner." The words came intense in their declaration.

"How is it that you always seem to stumble across these major underground rings, Akito?" The softer voice came inquisitive, followed by a darker snort of amusement.

"Because I'm just that damn lucky." Boisterous laughter erupted from the men and was subdued by the sounds of sirens as the police car finally took flight.

_But I had absolutely no hesitation in accepting this task. Because...in the end...right or wrong...I put the uniform first._

_Call me a traitor to the uniform. Call me a rat for turning against my brothers._

_Yes...my actions were illegal. And the wiretaps and secret video surveillance violated the privacy and trust of my brothers in uniform. But when evidence continued to turn up light, or completely missing from the department's various raids of the underworld of armaments and drugs...I knew something was wrong. And I wasn't the only one tipped off. When I was informed that in no way could I tell anyone of what I was doing, including my partner, you would think that I might have had a moment of hesitation. A small pause, perhaps._

_But I never did. Not once. Because I had held fast to two truths._

_First...I truly believed that what I was doing was right. Despite the means, the end was justified._

_Second...I honestly believed that my partner would have my back, no matter what. No matter what, we always had each others backs. And after ten years together, I knew there was no way he could possibly be a part of what I had become involved in. At the very least it would be one hell of a story to share with him when the whole case broke._

"You have any words of wisdom? A speech for this momentous occasion? I need some encouragement from our fearless leader." These words came sardonic and laced with amusement.

"Yeah." The darker voice chucked out, just as sarcastic in response. "Don't get shot in the face."

"Nice, Akito. I'll be sure to remember that." The snort of a laugh trailed behind the dramatic roll of the eyes.

_I just wish that at the time I had taken his words of advice more seriously._

_...I find myself wishing a lot of things I can't have anymore..._

"You okay?" The dark voice murmured through the sound of the sirens, darker onyx eyes casting a sidelong glance before returning to the road.

"Hm?" The softer voice came drawn out of revery as fingers stilled their nervous spinning of the thick gold wedding band.

"You seem nervous." The voice continued coolly. "You know...you really shouldn't think about her when you're out on the job. It's a distraction that will get you killed." These words of advice came blunt.

"Tohru's not a distraction." The voice responded in a soft whisper, amethyst eyes flitting to the window of the police car. "She's why I get up in the morning." And a gentle scoff of disapproval came from the driver's seat.

"What?" The softer voice countered. "You thought I got my ass out of bed for _you_, Akito?"

"I had kind of hoped..." Came the sarcastically wry response before more laughter erupted through the car.

_Tohru... That name ripped through my heart. My life. My love. My reason for breathing. And how I had taken her for granted. So many times. Pushed her to the side for the sake of my career. I told myself it was for us. For her. But how I wish I had done things differently with her. I wouldn't have been so eager to put on that uniform and walk out the door._

_I would have spend more time in bed with her every morning._

"The only thing that's distracting me is your smell." The softer voice grumbled. "Your cologne makes you stink like cinnamon. It's disgusting." These words were muttered as the car window found itself rolling down in response.

"That's not what the ladies say." The darker voice quipped with a chuckle.

"Why do I find that very hard to believe?" Came this countered response.

"You should try it." The darker voice offered.

"And smell like you? No thanks." These words came on the heels of a cynical snort of disagreement.

"Suit yourself." Came the shrugged answer as fingers once again went to twist the wedding band in the ensuing silence.

"I don't know why you're so worried. We do this every day." The darker voice murmured again after a time. "And I always bring you back to her alive, don't I?"

"Tohru asked me to stay home this morning." The softer voice whispered seriously in response. "She said she had a bad feeling about today."

"A bad feeling, hm?" The voice came slightly disinterested as dark onyx eyes kept themselves on the road.

_Tohru always worried about me. All the time. But...she was so good at covering it over with her smile that I often forgot about how much my job really bothered her. And she knew how much serving on the force meant to me. But Tohru was always so supportive of my decision, and she would have never asked me to do anything different. Ever._

_...with the exception of this morning..._

_And I knew it had been more than just a bad feeling for her. She had woken from a horrific nightmare, sobbing in my arms. And as I held onto her it became clear that the dream had been too disturbing for her to even talk to me about. All she could manage to choke out through her tears were the words 'don't go.'_

_And I know now that I should have listened to her._

_I never got the chance to find out about her nightmare. But...knowing what I know now...I think I have a fare idea anyway._

"Hey Akito, can I talk to you about something..." The softer voice murmured from the passengers seat after a moment of silence.

"Of course." The response came immediate. "We're partners, after all. We don't keep things from each other, right...?" The darker voice grew a little lower in tone. "You can tell me anything, Yuki."

_But...I was keeping something from him. Something big. And secrets aren't free. Not now. Not ever. I learned this the hard way._

_...secrets come at a cost..._

"Well...it's about Tohru. This weekend...well..." The words came hesitant as they worked themselves through the news to be delivered. "She told me that she's pregnant." At this announcement more silence ensued.

"That explains the bad feeling, then." The darker voice conceded coolly.

"You think so?" The question came softly murmured.

"Probably." Came another concession.

"...yeah... Maybe." A smaller voice of agreement answered, though far less convinced of this explanation.

"This is great news, though. You should be really happy." The darker voice offered casually. "You'll make a decent enough father."

"Gee, thanks." The words were followed by a snort of amusement before the car came to a stop just outside of a seemingly abandoned warehouse just outside of the city center.

"You know...you have time off coming up." The darker voice murmured through the heaviness of the moment. "Maybe after we break this case wide open you should take it."

"That doesn't sound like a bad idea, actually." These words of agreement came calm and thoughtful. "Tohru would like that." And with that settled, the driver's side door flung open.

"Oh hey!" The softer voice halted swift departure. "Tohru wanted me to ask you something." And amethyst eyes met deep onyx before continuing. "We both want you to be the baby's God Father." A softer whisper followed. "You got my back on this one, partner?" And a smile spread in response.

"Sure thing...partner."

_I'm still beside myself with how much faith I had placed in this man. My partner. My friend. My brother...closer than any blood. Akito was family. Even my wife had come to accept him. Welcome him in._

_...it had been her idea to have him as our child's God Father..._

_And...she had been so excited to find out what he would say._

_I never got the chance to tell her he had said yes._

"What exactly are we walking into, Akito?" The voice came low and hissed in slow, stealthy approach to the building.

"The intell I stumbled upon said something about illegal artifacts. The Yakuza plan to auction them off on the black market in order to fund weapons and drug trafficking." The darker voice murmured as bodies pressed themselves against the wall in anticipation.

"Dammit." Another low hiss came in response. "This is bigger than I thought..."

"Huge, Yuki." Came the concession of agreement.

"What are the odds that we're going to be walking into enemy crossfire?" The question came lowly whispered, only to be met with a sardonic snort of laughter.

"I doubt they're just going to let us walk in there an take it." The darker voice quipped.

"Point taken..." The words came softly grumbled. "Then where the hell is your vest?!" The accusatory question came followed with the observation of the lack of a bullet proof vest.

"It slows me down." The response came cool in its bluntness.

"And you're worried about _me_ getting killed?" The softer voice questioned incredulously.

"What can I say?" The voice mused. "We both know I'm a far luckier bastard than you are." The words came laced with amusement before continuing. "We going to do this, or what?" And with that, legs took flight into the building as shots rang out from all directions.

_I knew that I had been keeping something from my partner. My friend. My brother. The fact that I was secretly investigating over half of the precinct in what was quickly turning out to be one of the largest cases of evidence embezzlement that the force had ever seen._

_What I didn't know...?_

_I wasn't the only one keeping secrets._

"...you couldn't have left at least _one_ for questioning?" The words came breathless and shaky, weak in the question they had asked.

"Not when they were all bound and determined to kill us. No." The response came blunt. "You can thank me later."

"How are we going to gather more information about the drugs and weapons ring if we have no one to question?" The softer voice came agitated.

"That's never really been my concern, my friend..." The darker voice murmured lowly. "Finding answers has always been more of your department...hasn't it?"

"...that's what we do, Akito..." The statement came mildly perplexed.

"Well..." The words were murmured dismissively. "At least this will make our job easier. We'll be able to take in the evidence without a fight."

"Is that what this blood bath was all about?" The softer voice hissed in complete disbelief. "Getting the evidence?!" And silence wrapped itself tightly around the moment before it was dispelled by the gentlest of sighs.

"You know..." Dark words came murmured softly in the eery quiet. "You've always been just a little too nosy for your own damn good..." A startled gasp followed the presentation of a gun.

"Akito! No!" A horrified scream that was quickly overtaken by the sound of a single shot fired before silence enveloped the moment once more.

_Look up the definition of 'irony' in the dictionary, and I'm sure it describes this very moment of my life. 'A difference between what you expect to happen...and...what actually happens.' Most people find irony quite humorous. I...am not one of those people._

_I didn't find it at all 'funny' when my partner had pressed his gun to my forehead and pulled the trigger._

_And when I say 'I really didn't see it coming,' the meaning is more...metaphorical. To claim otherwise would be difficult when a gun is pointed at your face._

_But I honestly hadn't seen it coming. Not from him._

_Apparently he had been a lot closer to my investigation than I had thought. And I think he had suspected my activities for some time. It would have only been a matter of time before I put the pieces together. And they all pointed to him._

_So..._

_Have you ever been stabbed in the back? By someone you trusted with your very life? A partner? A friend?_

_If the answer to this question is no...then count yourself among the fortunate._

_But...if the answer is yes._

_Well...then you might be able to empathize with my resentment._

_But this is not where my story ends._

_This...is just the beginning..._

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**A/N: So...as tradition dictates on your birthday, Fandom Angst, I so serenade you with a song of old to commemorate the day of your birth. May this day be far better to you than the characters in your stories. Yeah...you know what I'm talking about... Here we go.**

**Happy Birthday**

**Happy Birthday**

**There's clouds in the air**

**People dyin' everywhere**

**But Happy Birthday**

**Happy Birthday**

**To you**


	2. Nightmares And Premonitions

**A/N: I know that this is classified as a comedy, and trust me it will get there. Just bare with me.**

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Rain gently tapped the window, the only sound save for the rhythmic, mechanical whisper of the kitchen clock.

...he was late...

This in and of itself wasn't particularly concerning. His work often kept him busy long after his shift had meant to end. But...today he had promised to at least call if he was running late. Because she had been so upset this morning. Yet the kitchen clock continued to usher time forward, heartless and unsympathetic to her growing sense of dread.

How was it that time could misbehave so badly? Moving forward...yet keeping her heart and mind trapped in this single, never-ending moment. She wanted it to end. She wanted him home.

...why wasn't he home yet...?

Why wasn't he calling?

Beautiful azure eyes drifted to the kitchen phone before a gentle sigh broke through the silence, momentarily dispelling the softer sounds of the rain and ticking clock.

Maybe she should call him, instead?

_Tick..._

No. She had already made too much of a nuisance of herself this morning.

_Tick..._

He was right, after all. It had only been a dream.

_Tick..._

A silly little nightmare that didn't mean anything.

_Tick..._

He promised that he would come home safe. He always did...right?

_Tick..._

...right...?

_Tick..._

A sudden brush up against her leg startled her out of her darker thoughts before her eyes drifted to the kitchen floor. Bright, happy yellow eyes stared up at her in anticipation as the warmest of smiles spread across her lips.

"It's okay, Kyo." She murmured comforting to the bright, fluffy orange cat peering up at her before she scooped him up into her arms. "Yuki's going to be home any minute, now. I just know it." She prattled on to the feline contently curled in her arms. "No need to worry, right?" Tohru finished these words as she began to tenderly scratch behind the cat's ears, reveling in the soothing sound of his purring.

But...her gaze once again drifted towards the kitchen window. The rain had grown in intensity. And the sky had long gone dark.

Another sigh pushed itself through her delicate button nose as her gaze moved from the window to the phone once more.

"Come on, Kyo." She spoke to the cat once more. "Lets go get you some food, hm?" And Tohru began to giggle lightly as the fluffy little feline wriggled out of her arms in response to her words.

"But _no_ fish tonight!" She laughed lightly as the cat began to create a ruckus, finding herself so grateful for the distraction he offered her now. "That's for Yuki, okay? And you _know_ how he gets when you bait me into feeding you his fish!" She giggled as the cat began to walk circles around her, lovingly rubbing up against her leg. "He gets all _grumpy_!" She emphasized the word as she peered down at the cat, scrunching her face in an attempt to mimic one of her husbands many expressions of discontent towards the cat before bursting into another giggle fit.

Tohru knew that her husband wasn't entirely fond of their pet cat. But...he always wanted her to smile and be happy, so he agreed to making the 'useless, lazy orange fur ball' a part of their family. And though she had to sometimes concede that the dislike was mutual, Tohru liked to think that the two were slowly warming to each other.

Going to the cat's food bowl, she dutifully filled it with fresh kitty kibbles before going to the fridge. Yuki would be home soon, and she wanted dinner to at least be started before his arrival. Tohru loved welcoming him back with the inviting smell of a home-cooked meal. She knew that he appreciated it. Keeping a tidy, clean home and making freshly prepared meals was the least she could do for him while he was off saving the word. Keeping her safe. A smile drifted along the corner of her lips as her hand instinctively moved to her abdomen. Keeping _them_ safe.

Tohru began to hum to herself as she set about her work. Driving away the silence. Dispelling the sense of dread that was still lingering along the fringes of her heart. Tohru set all of the ingredients in a neat and tidy line of preparation. Rice. Vegetables. And fish. Yuki loved fish. It was his favorite. Placing two cups of rice in the steamer, adding a cup of water, she left it about its business as she began to slice various vegetables to be steamed later.

Finding a pace and rhythm, Tohru effortlessly sliced and diced carrots and celery, cucumbers and cauliflower.

_Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap._

The sound was so familiar. So comforting. The rhythm coming to match the song she had been humming to herself.

_Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap._

Even the darkness itself seemed to be dispelled by this familiar routine until Tohru noticed that the rhythm of her preparation matched the sound of the kitchen clock.

_Tick... Tick... Tick..._

_'Just let it pass...'_ she whispered to herself. _'Let time pass, and you'll see. He'll be here. He promised...'_

Tohru began to feel the tendrils of doubt and dread spread themselves through her mind and heart before she was once again startled out of darker thoughts.

"Kyo!" She chirped, blinking in surprise at the stealthy feline who had made his way onto the counter-top where she was preparing dinner. "You _know_ you're not suppose to be up here." She scolded the cat, though her tone held none of the backing behind this reprimand. "Don't think that you're getting any of this fish just because you're cute and fluffy! I'm not falling for your tricks again, mister!" Tohru giggled out as the feline simply stared at her, unmoved from his strategic position on the counter-top.

A small huff of defeat followed the staring contest as Tohru halted her preparation of the vegetables to finely slice a small piece of the fish laid out on the counter-top. Placing the thin slice of raw fish in front of the orange feline, she gave a small smile as the cat contently nibbled on the gracious offering.

"Just don't go telling Yuki, okay." She murmured. "If he finds out you got to taste the fish before he did, he wont be very happy." Tohru's sweet smile spread a little at the perfect warmth of this moment. "So you had better finish that up before he comes home, okay? Or we'll _both_ be in trouble." And with that she washed the blade and once again went to vegetable preparation.

_Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap._

The various sounds blended together and swirled around her. The rain now raging against the kitchen window. The sound of the kitchen clock. The tapping of her kitchen knife. The room was suddenly drowning in a cacophony of sound. Yet...it still felt so quiet. Too quiet.

...why hadn't he at least called yet...?

He should have at least had time to call her by now.

Large, beautiful azure eyes flitted to the window once again to see the approach of headlights through the storm. And the most beautiful smile broke across her face as they came to a slow halt on the side of the street next to their home. Beaming to the orange fluffy cat still contently perched on the counter-top with his piece of fish, Tohru broke out into a helpless giggle.

"See, Kyo!" She chirped, her voice giddy as she watched the headlights dim. "Didn't I tell you he'd be home any minute?! There was nothing to worry about, after all!" And Tohru set down the knife to do a quick check on the steamed rice before gracefully moving herself to the front door to meet her husband.

She was so happy.

So happy that he had been right.

So happy that it had only been a dream.

A terrible, horrible nightmare.

So happy that he was finally home.

She didn't have to worry anymore. He was finally home. And she was so happy. So happy that she felt as if she might explode. Turning on the porch light, she opened the door of their home and stepped onto the covered porch to meet him. The sooner he held her in his arms, the sooner she would be complete.

Tohru watched the figure in its slowed approach to the front porch, and it was all she could do to restrain herself from running into the rain for him. It didn't matter that he had gone to work when she had begged him not to. It didn't matter that he was late. It didn't matter that he hadn't called.

...he was home...

And she was so happy.

"Welcome home, Yuki!" Her lips formed this beautiful heartsong as Tohru called out the greeting, only to have the smile on her lips falter and suddenly fall away...

Dark, onyx eyes gazed intently at her through drenched, inky black bangs. Tight lips held no smile for her. This was not the face she had been expecting.

"...Akito...?" This question trembled along her lips as she watched her husband's partner come further into the porch light. "Where's my husband...?" She asked hesitantly, this question momentarily halting the man's approach before he slowly continued once more.

Tohru watched one foot ascend the stairs of her home, followed by the other. And his steps amplified the beating of her heard. So loud as it pounded in her ears. But Tohru held herself together. Though only just. Her large azure eyes just stared forward. Looking at his shoes. His uniform. The water dripping from his clothes. Staring at his chest as he finally stopped in front of her, Tohru refused to look at his face. Anything but his face.

She didn't want to see his face.

"Where is Yuki?" This breathless question passed her lips as Tohru continued to stare at his chest.

Movement drew her gaze to his hand in response to her question. Slowly, his fist opened. And sitting in the palm of his hand, was presented a thick gold wedding band.

"This was all they would allow me to bring home right now..." This low whisper sent the whole world crashing in on her as Tohru numbly took the ring from the palm of his hand. "I'm so sorry, Tohru."

"...but..." Tohru's lips trembled with emotion as she stared at the ring in her hand. "...he said it was just a dream..." Tears began to blur her vision as they spilled over and a helpless sob broke through her lips, opening the floodgates as she began to cry. "He said he would be coming home."

Arms moved to wrap her in an embrace as Tohru continued to sob. And the dampness of her tears was amplified by the cold, dampness of the man who held her as she helplessly wept into his chest. And everything inside of her felt so cold. So very cold and dark. And through her tears Tohru felt the gentle vibration of another lowly murmured apology.

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**A/N: And before anyone asks, no. The cat is not actually "Kyo." He will not magically transform into a naked man. Sorry to disappoint, but, sometimes a cat...is just a cat.**


	3. Well, SHIT

**A/N: Well...as promised...here is me attempting a little bit of humor. Let me know what you think!**

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He just continued to stare at the woman sitting across the desk from him, her dark brown gaze aimlessly drifting over the chart in front of her. Stick straight, blond hair cascaded over her shoulder as she continued to blatantly ignore him. The strangeness of this woman did not lie in her obviously dyed hair causing conflict with her richer eyes. Or in her over-tweezed eyebrows. And with the passing moments of her company, he had actually grown accustom to her silent disregard of his presence.

...but the hospital mask...

That seemed to really get to him. Willing himself out of this strange stupor that had suddenly befallen him, he took a small breath in, parting his lips to question her about the bizarre fashion statement across her mouth before a slender finger was swiftly held up to halt him. Eyes still glazing over the file, she put her finger down again when he decided to hold his tongue.

So she could see him, at least.

Amethyst eyes roamed to further survey the surroundings as he waited. It was fine that she didn't want to speak with him. Two could play this game... But he soon grew bored with the lack of stimulus the room offered.

Four walls.

Four glaringly white walls.

A desk.

And this woman.

Where exactly was he, anyway? Where had he been taken? He...certainly didn't remember coming here on his own. And, come to think of it, he couldn't even recall how he had even gotten here. He had simply just been..._here_... A fact which led him to the same frustratingly circular question. Where _was_ he?

"Okay..." The slow drawl of her voice startled him as she continued to glance over the file before her. "This is how it works." She began, her attention still seemingly taken with the papers before her. "I'm here to help ease you into the recovery process so you don't freak on us." She continued to prattle on before a softer voice interrupted her.

"Recovery from what?" This question came slowly whispered, pulling her gaze from the file.

"We'll get to that." This response came blunt, her gaze intent as she continued. "I'll start with introductions." Her expression came veiled underneath the mask as her voice continued in a cool monotone. "My name is Arisa Uotani. Call me Uo...everyone else around here does."

"I'm Yuki..." This gentle murmur trailed the extension of his hand before he was once again halted in his actions.

"I know who you are." The response came cold as Yuki reflexively recoiled his hand back into his lap.

"Do you know _where_ you are?" Her question came so strange, and the strangeness of it caused Yuki to silently shake his head. "Hm...I suppose that makes sense." She murmured lowly, her gaze dropping back to the file.

What about that was suppose to make sense? What about _any_ of this made sense?

"What's the last thing that you remember?" The next question followed, pulling Yuki from his confusion as he slowly responded.

"I was at work..." He murmured quietly in a slight stupor. "Tohru...my wife..." He clarified, slowly working through his memories. "...she didn't want me to go."

"Should've listened..." The woman muttered to herself, and Yuki found that he couldn't quite bring himself to disagree with her...though he didn't understand why. "Okay. Go on." Her gaze met his once more. "What else do you remember?"

"I remember..." Yuki's words came slowly. "...I remember that my partner and I had just gotten a pretty big break on a case we were working." His words came breathless as his amethyst gaze dropped away from the woman's face. "There was this old abandoned warehouse. My partner received a tip that the Yakuza were planning on selling some priceless artifacts to fund their illegal activities." Yuki's brows furrowed under the memories suddenly rushing themselves upon him. "There were so many." He whispered. "Far more than we had expected." His amethyst gaze darted and flickered with the emotions of the moment. "Too many." Yuki's eyes finally shot up from his lap to peer at the woman across the desk from him. "I shouldn't be alive." He hissed. "I honestly didn't think I would make it out of there alive...but Akito..." His lips quivered along the name of his partner. "My partner. He saved my life."

At these words, the woman's attentive gaze flickered for a moment. Only a moment. With something that Yuki couldn't understand. Something that looked almost like...pity. Gone in the blink of an eye behind the obscurity of her face mask. But there was no mistaking that something had lingered behind those eyes.

"What aren't you telling me...?" This whisper came cold from Yuki's lips at he searched her eyes for the answer to his question.

"I'm not allowed to tell you anything." The woman murmured lowly to him. "The recovery process needs to happen naturally."

"Recovery from _what_?!" Yuki snapped, his fingers curling themselves into fists in his lap. "What _happened_ to me?!"

"What do you remember?" These words came cold and dark as she peered directly at him. "What's the last thing that you can remember, Yuki."

The woman's words swam in Yuki's head, creating a dull roar as he tried to focus. To think. To remember. The dull roar turning into an ache as it grew in strength and intensity, Yuki's hands found themselves reflexively messaging his temples. But that sound. It wouldn't go away. And it was beginning to hurt.

_'...what's the last thing that you can remember...?'_

The pain peeked into the excruciating agony of the bullet's bite as a ragged, stuttered gasp broke way from his lips. The sound of a single gun shot ringing through his ears as Yuki's pupils constricted against the physical pain of the memory.

"...I didn't make it...did I..." This question came in an almost broken sob as Yuki found the woman's face again, only to watch her shake her head in concession. "I'm...dead...?" And another silent nod followed as he absorbed this revelation.

He was dead.

But that didn't make any sense.

He had made it out of the fire fight with Akito...

"...Akito..." The name trembled against his lips as he continued to drown in his thoughts.

Akito had saved his life.

Had his back.

They had made it out together.

Because of Akito...

"...Akito..." The woman sat back, simply watching him painfully stitch the pieces of his own demise back together.

They had walked into a blood bath neither one of them should have survived.

But they had.

He remembered that they had made it despite the deadly odds stacked against them.

...they had made it...

_'...what's the last thing that you can remember...?'_

_'...you know...'_

_'...what's the last thing that you can remember...?'_

_'...you've always been just a little too nosy for your own damn good...'_

_'...what's the last thing that you can remember...?'_

_'AKITO! NO!'_

"That motherf-" The loud clearing of the woman's throat silenced Yuki's rage as he felt it choke in his throat. "He _shot_ me!" His voice rose indignant, his eye alight with the rage burning underneath.

"Happens more than you would think..." The woman quipped.

Yuki sat beside himself. Everything hitting him all at once. He was dead. Murdered by his own partner. His brother. Friend. Everything had been taken away from him.

His life...

His love...

The child he would never get to meet...

It was all just too much. And the sheer magnitude of his fate had him silenced in the chair as the woman continued to stare at him, seemingly unsympathetic to the storm of emotions maliciously ravaging his heart.

"...so...what happens to me now?" These words choked out through the surge of emotions lodged in his throat. "Is this Heaven?" Yuki whispered, his tormented amethyst gaze meeting the woman's sardonically amused expression.

"You really think that _you_ made it to Heaven?" A snort of laughter manifested from behind the mask as she continued to peer at him through her dark brown gaze.

"...didn't I...?" Yuki murmured brokenly through trembling lips.

"The deepest...darkest levels of Hell are reserved for liars and betrayers." The woman murmured darkly, her gaze burrowing intently into Yuki. "And _you_ did _both_."

"But..." Yuki's words came breathless, his head swimming with confusion laced with horrified fear. "I..."

"What?" The woman quipped, cutting him off. "You thought you were doing the right thing by betraying the trust of your self-proclaimed brothers in uniform?" Her brows furrowed as she continued to murmur through her mask. "Haven't you ever heard of the old saying 'the road to Hell is _paved_ with good intentions'?"

"Well...yes." Yuki conceded weakly, his gaze falling to his lap.

"Then you can imagine that Hell is overflowing with idealists just like you." The woman spat, a moment of silence stilling the room.

"So this is Hell?" Yuki questioned, his gaze roaming the small surroundings once more with a level of perplexed curiosity.

"Well..." The woman's voice came in a calmer drawl. "...it seems that today is your lucky day." She murmured, and Yuki swore he could see the contours of a sardonic smirk forming underneath the mask as her chin came to rest against her finger-laced hands.

"I don't really consider getting shot in the face to be all that lucky." Yuki bit back bitterly, his tone sour.

"Trust me..." The woman murmured casually. "There are fates far worse than death." She paused, gazing into his eyes intently. "And you are facing one of them." Her voice grew lower. "So...you have a decision to make." And Yuki found himself rooted silently in his chair as he continued to absorb these words.

"You can either accept eternal damnation right now, and your journey will be done." The woman murmured darkly. "Or..." She continued slowly. "...you can work for us. Fortunately for you, you have a certain skill set we look for."

There was a small moment of silence as Yuki considered this. And he found himself feeling like he was presented with the lack of an option. Clearly he didn't want to be damned. So the choice seemed to come easily to him. But...there was something that tugged along the corner of his mind. Something he needed to know.

"What..." Yuki's voice came weak in the wake of the options presented to him. "What exactly would I be doing for you?"

"There's a very real war going on between the forces of Good and Evil." She murmured lowly behind the mask across her face. "And as in any war, both sides have an army of sorts." She continued, her voice intent as she spoke. "We would enlist you as a Soul Hound. An attack dog of the right hand." Her words came serious as Yuki continued to listen. "We send you back to the world of the living to hunt down, capture, and detain demonic entities posing as people."

All of these words faded away with the mention of going back. Yuki felt his heart seize up in his chest at this very thought. He would be able to go back. Be able to see her again. To hold and touch her.

...he would have a second chance...

"I'll do it!" Yuki practically shouted, his heart in his throat like the words that had burst forth, causing an immediate scowl to form along the woman's obscured face.

"That's _not_ how this works." The woman snapped, causing Yuki to flinch.

"What do you mean 'that's not how this works'?" Yuki protested. "I agreed to work for you, that's all there is to it, right?"

"You _can't_ go back to the life you knew." The woman spoke, her words harsh and cold as she gazed intently at Yuki. "The people you knew." She spat. "You do _anything_ that adversely affects the world of the living, including revealing who you use to be, and the contract is forfeit and your soul is damned."

At this, Yuki fell silent once more, feeling his very heart and soul torn to shreds. This fate seemed far too cruel to be fair. To be so close. So very close to everything that he had loved. Yet never able to have what his heart held so dear. But...maybe there was some way out? There must be another option...

"So what's the catch...?" Yuki murmured quietly, his words softly dispelling the growing silence.

"Well." The woman drawled out. "If you agree and sign the contract, then your soul belongs to us for eternity. Neither damned nor saved."

Yuki sat back for a moment to absorb his options. None of this seemed fair to him. But...again...he felt that there was really no option. No _good_ option, anyway. And Yuki found himself biting back the bitterness of how unfair this all seemed. Even in death, he realized that he would be forever separated from Tohru. And this realization ate away at him.

Again...he found himself settling between what he saw as the lesser of two evils. Something he had done in life. Maybe...the very thing that had sent him to this very moment, perhaps.

"Where do I sign?" Yuki's voice came so very defeated as his amethyst gaze met the woman once more, and she slowly slid a single sheet of gold leaf paper and a pen.

The sound of the pen against paper came harsh. Abrasive. Intrusive in the wake of the silence. It seemed so final... Resolute. And as Yuki pushed the paper and pen back to the woman, her fingertips slid something else towards him. His eyes took it in curiously for a moment before flitting back up to her face questioningly.

"Your temporary badge." She explained. "You'll begin as a Soul Hound In Training." And Yuki went to part his lips before she cut him off again. "I know." She quipped. "The acronym is complete shit. Someone's idea of a funny joke." She huffed, leaving Yuki completely speechless.

"Okay." She cleared her throat after a moment of awkward silence. "If there aren't anymore questions, I'll go introduce you to your partner." And at this Yuki's thin lips parted once more.

"Well...I have just one, actually." Yuki murmured.

"What?" The woman's voice came mildly irritated as she almost glared at him.

"What the hell is with that mask?"


	4. A New Partnership,

**A/N: So...sorry for the small delay in this chapter. I was...um...preoccupied?**

**And, as promised, I am giving a shout-out to SweetLiars. A reviewer and very close friend of mine, who noticed that I had used not one...but two forms of literary irony. Both in chapter one AND chapter two. Now...lets see if I can use a third form of irony... And a heartfelt thank you to SweetLiars for noticing my hard work!**

**i·ro·ny****1**

**ˈīrənē/**

_**noun**_

**the expression of one's meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect.**

**""Don't go overboard with the gratitude," he rejoined with heavy irony"**

**_synonyms:_**

**sarcasm****, causticity, ****cynicism****, ****mockery****, ****satire****, sardonicism**

**"that note of irony in her voice"**

**a state of affairs or an event that seems deliberately contrary to what one expects and is often amusing as a result. (The type of irony I used in chapter one)**

**plural noun: ironies**

**"the irony is that I thought he could help me"**

**_synonyms:_**

**paradox****, ****incongruity****, incongruousness**

**"the irony of the situation"**

**a literary technique, originally used in Greek tragedy, by which the full significance of a character's words or actions are clear to the audience or reader although unknown to the character. (The type of irony that was pointed out to me I used in chapter two)**

**noun: dramatic irony**

* * *

"Follow me." The voice came sharp through the mask as Yuki trailed after the woman. "Don't wander off, and just keep your mouth shut" And Yuki blanched at these harsh words, so completely taken aback at the way he was just being spoken to.

As they exited the white room down through the startlingly dark corridor, Yuki could hear the beginnings of screams. Voices laced with rage in words he couldn't quite make out. And as they moved silently through the hall side by side, the sounds only grew in their intensity and heat. And the sounds began to mix with various smells and the stench of death and decay.

Burning...rotted flesh.

A foul odor he had only come across once in his life, when he had first entered the police force. A particularly horrific homicide case he and Akito had stumbled upon where a man had murdered his girlfriend and decided to keep her corpse in their closet for over a month. When Yuki and his partner had received a search warrant for the apartment after the woman's mother had filed a missing persons report, they broke into the room to stumble upon the scene of the man having drenched the body in gasoline, setting it in flames.

Yuki remembered he had spent that night on the couch because he had felt so completely defiled from the smell alone that he simply couldn't bring himself to be around the wholesome innocence of his wife.

Funny...Akito had never really seemed all that affected by that particular case... And Yuki remembered that, at the time, he had wished to be more like his new partner.

Feeling another sudden surge of unquenchable rage grip him and lodge itself in his throat in a barely restrained curse, Yuki again felt the overwhelming unfairness of his current situation. But before these bitter, acidic emotions had their way with him completely the whole scene broke away to envelop him into another room of light.

Where exactly were they now?

Though this room was just as painfully bright as the one he had come from with this woman, Yuki noticed it was far more alive and active with the hustle and bustle of productivity. Watching the various people weave their way through the rows of desks filling the room, a sudden sense of comfortable familiarity washed over Yuki. This felt like home. And an almost bizarre feeling of peace and solace washed over him before it was brutally marred as the woman standing next to him practically snarled out through the room.

"Hey Orange Top!" She snapped above the sounds of the room around them. "Get your ass over here!" And before Yuki had the chance to even react to the blatant rudeness of her request, he heard an immediate and equally rude response.

"What did I say about calling me that, ya damn Yanki?" A deeper voice bellowed as Yuki silently watched the scene unfold around him.

A particularly disgruntled young man stalked over to them, his brightly colored orange hair and crimson eyes setting off and almost enhancing the rage pouring off of him. And Yuki immediately understood the significance of the nickname. Though...he made a mental note never to use it himself. Watching the woman dangerously stalk towards the young man to close the gap, Yuki could barely hear her hissed words. But...he felt the tension they held as she spoke coldly to the young man.

"Talk to me that way again, _Orange Top_." She hissed, her finger coming to lightly jab him in the chest menacingly. "I dare you." And from the fleeting expression of submission on the young man's face, Yuki made another note-to-self to avoid getting on this woman's bad side as well...

"What's got your panties all twisted in a knot today, Yanki?" The crimson eyed young man spat, though it seemed to Yuki that some of the heat and fire had been lost in this fight.

"You get a new partner today..." And Yuki got the sudden feeling that this was almost a form of punishment from the way the young man's expression twisted in disapproval as his crimson gaze drifted to meet his own. "And my panties haven't been your concern for a long time!" The woman added this unusually intimate tag before turning her deep brown gaze towards Yuki herself.

"Meet your new partner." She drawled to the young man. "Yuki."

"This pansy-ass girly man?!" The crimson eyed young man snapped harshly, causing Yuki's jaw to go slack as he continued. "Hell no!" He quipped, his gaze shifting to the woman again. "I'd rather work with Haru."

"Hatsuharu's been suspended." The woman deadpanned.

"Again?" The young man questioned in frustration. "What did the dumbass do _this_ time?" And this question lingered unanswered, save for the shrug of the woman's shoulders.

"Well...what about Shigure?!" The man continued, his voice growing slightly desperate.

"Sorry." The woman answered again. "He's _just_ been partnered with some guy named Hatori."

"Kureno?" The man barked almost desperately.

"His contract was revoked." The woman whispered, causing both Yuki and the crimson eyed young man to pale in understanding of exactly what that meant.

"Well then, what about Kagura?" He asked, regaining himself after the shock of hearing about this Kureno's eternal demise.

"That's not happening." The woman hissed darkly through her mask with the raise of her overly-tweezed eyebrows. "And you _know_ why." She spat, causing the young man to scowl at her in defense.

"Come _on_!" The young man snapped in exasperation. "That was _one_ time!" He growled. "And _she_ kissed _me_!" His voice came laced in desperation as he watched her brows furrow with her resolute decision.

"Then I'm working alone!" The young man quipped bitterly, folding his arms to his chest in defiance as he glared at the woman.

"Not a choice!" The woman spat, becoming aggravated by this man's persistent petulance.

"...but..." The man continued, his voice losing the fire of this losing battle. "Why _him_?" And Yuki couldn't help the disgruntled scowl that shaped his own features.

"Because he needs a partner." The woman responded bluntly. "And so do you." And her words were so completely resolute in their finality that there was clearly no further room for argument.

...Yuki had the sudden feeling that _both_ of them had just lost with this final decision...

And an aggravated huff of disapproval from the young man only solidified this feeling.

They had both been screwed.

"Fine." The bitter-laced concession pushed its way through the man's lips before he murmured more lowly to the woman, seemingly self-conscious over the growing audience. "...are we at least on for tonight...?" And Yuki was immediately blown away at this completely baffling change in the conversation.

"You train the probie..." She murmured quietly through the mask. "And when you get back, we'll see about tonight." And at that the man's cheekbones flushed a brilliant shade of red as he cleared his throat.

"Fine..." He whispered quietly, his crimson gaze falling to the floor in embarrassment before he moved to swiftly peck the woman on the cheek. "Bye." And with that he swiftly brushed past the woman as his crimson gaze burned into Yuki, finally finding himself again. "WHAT?!" He snapped angrily in response to the completely befuddled expression on Yuki's face as he roughly body-checked him before passing on his way.

"Play nice, you two!" Yuki heard the woman shout as he followed his new partner to the sound of whistles and cat calls.

As the two continued to stalk the halls in silence, Yuki dutifully trailed after his new partner, wondering exactly how he should begin in breaking the ice. Clearly this man didn't like him. But...Yuki got the impression that the man didn't particularly endear himself to much of anyone.

"So..." Yuki began slowly, his words soft. "Do you have a name?" He asked, still vividly remembering the man's response to his pet name...one he clearly hated.

There was a long moment of silence as Yuki watched the man debate with himself before a small huff pushed itself from his body as he finally responded to Yuki's question.

"Kyo." This name slipped through his lips, and Yuki found himself unintentionally halted in his steps as the man turned to glare at him.

"What?!" The man snapped, taking in Yuki's expression.

"...nothing..." Yuki murmured, finding himself again as he shook his head. "It's just..." He lightly stammered under the burden of his memories. "I have a cat named Kyo." He whispered, his voice growing lower as he found himself needing to correct the statement. "..._had_ a cat named Kyo..." His voice came almost sad.

"...oh..." His new partner murmured, becoming a little uncomfortable himself. "That's cool, I guess." He continued as he cleared his throat. "I kind of like cats." He finished awkwardly.

"He was more of my wife's cat." Yuki murmured, his amethyst gaze drifting away from the man's face. "I've never been a fan of cats myself." He finished, holding his tongue against the full force of his internal monologue on his deep-seeded hatred of the lazy, useless creatures.

The two stood in an awkward silence for a moment before Yuki's new partner turned away and began walking again. Apparently he was a man of few words...which was fine with Yuki. He liked to think he lived by the philosophy that you didn't need to like someone in order to work with them. It made his life easier.

_Had_ made his life easier, he corrected himself bitterly.

"So where exactly are we going?" Yuki questioned as he followed his new partner.

"'_You'_ are going to get some closure." Kyo stated bluntly, not even bothering to turn towards Yuki as amethyst eyes burrowed into the back of his head...wondering exactly what that meant.


	5. Funeral,

**A/N: Again, my apologies for taking so long on updating. And my deepest gratitude to all of you. Your reviews and support are what keep me so very humble. You guys are why I keep at this. So without further delay, enjoy!**

* * *

Thick lashed flickered in restless sleep. Puffy eyelids fluttered and trembled in dreaming before finally opening themselves into the haze of morning light.

Where she laid was so warm. Warm and comforting. But she didn't feel like she was in her room, and she vaguely remembered that she had never retired to her marriage-bed. The mere idea had been too painful. But now...

Now she felt warm and safe as she slowly drifted out of this haze into waking. Eyes fluttered to take in a sleep blurred halo of pale flesh and dark hair. And for a moment her heart thrilled, dancing and humming in her chest as a sleepy smile twitched along her sweet lips. It had all been a dream. A horrible nightmare that she had finally awoken from as she sleepily shifted in the warmth of the moment, sensing her head resting along the comfortably familiar makeshift pillow of a warm lap.

Her hand drifted sleepily to her abdomen as she shifted on her back to look up at the still hazy face. And this moment felt so peaceful. So blissfully perfect. In this moment, everything was as it should be.

...everything else had just been an awful mistake...

Some terrible dream...

Stifling a small yawn with her other hand, Tohru blinked away the last tears of sleep as the back of her hand came to gently rub her azure gaze into full clarity. And as the softly hazed face of her lover came into better view, the small smile lingering along her lips faded completely. Anguish and grief tenderly shaped and caressed her features as her lower lip began to tremble.

This was _not_ the face of her lover. This wasn't the man she had desperately wanted to be here. This wasn't the man who _should_ be here...and wasn't. And a few light tears trailed down her cheeks as she continued to stare upward at the face of her husband's partner. Once placid, deep rich onyx eyes now gazed upon her with a mild level of concern.

"Are you okay...?" Akito's voice gently murmured, softly dispelling the quiet before it was filled with a small, helpless sob from the woman resting her head in his lap.

"I thought..." Tohru worked through another little sob. "I though you were him..." She whispered, her gaze filling with more desperate tears. "But...Yuki's really gone..." Tohru's voice hitched on her husband's name as she stared into his partner's concerned gaze. "...isn't he..."

And with these words her gaze drifted away as more tears trailed themselves along her cheeks. Shifting her body Tohru helplessly buried her face into Akito's lap like a distraught child seeking comfort and protection from reality as she continued to weep over this fact.

Her husband was never coming back to her.

...Yuki was really gone...

And the two of them stayed like that on the living room couch for the longest moment. Tohru helplessly mourning, beside herself in anguish and grief. Akito offering silent support as a hand went to smooth the woman's hair while she continued to cry.

As the moment settled into silence, a level of numbness fell over Tohru. Feeling so absolutely depleted, she weakly pushed herself up to a sitting position on the couch next to Akito. Tohru sat in this silence as her azure eyes stared at her hands, glazed over as she took in the ring on her finger. And the strangest thoughts began to flit through her mind like fireflies as she continued to stare at her wedding ring.

...she had been so young when Yuki had asked her to marry him.

And...they had been together for so very long...that she truly didn't know what to do without him.

Tohru suddenly felt so very old as the weight of the world seemed to press itself against her.

A life gone...

A life not even yet begun...

Her hand instinctively moving to her abdomen as she felt her own life suspended in a chamber of glass and ice. Frozen.

...what would she do...?

"Is there anything I can do for you?" The voice at her side gently whispered to her, dispelling Tohru's thoughts as she only vaguely registers the light shake of her head in response.

"No..." She whispered back, her azure gaze finally lifting to take in Akito's face. "You've already done so much for me. I can't in good conscience ask any more of you, Akito." And the strangest expression of peace came over the man's features as he gave her a small nod of understanding.

"There are some things I need to take care of back at the department." Akito murmured quietly. "...for him..." His deep rich onyx gaze peered into her own as he spoke, his expression growing somber. "But I'll come back for you a little later today. To see how you're doing." And at this Tohru felt her cheeks flush slightly as she looked away, feeling a little guilty at having become such a burden.

"You really don't have to do that, Akito. I'll be fine." She whispered, though her voice came so very small and fragile as she felt a gentle hand wrap around her own.

"It's no bother, Tohru." Akito replied softly. "And...somehow...I think it's what Yuki would have wanted."

Tohru felt a sharp pang in her heart at the sound of her husband's name. And...that Akito had so readily spoken of him in the past tense. Somehow a small acceptance that he was really gone. But she was far too exhausted to cry over this now, so she gave a small nod to the man, finding herself grateful for his kindness to her now.

"Thank you..." She breathed this small whisper of gratitude to the man as he stood himself from the couch and returned this thanks with the nod of his head.

But even with his generosity and support, Tohru still felt herself so very alone. And as Akito quietly dismissed himself to go about his business, this feeling of solitude and isolation was only solidified in her heart and soul.

She was...alone.

A week went by.

One week.

Seven days alone.

Seven days without her husband.

Seven days of foolishly hoping that he would somehow come back though the door.

But it was ever only Akito.

Always Akito.

And it had taken seven days before Tohru was finally allowed to bury her husband.

There was no more pretending. As the casket was lowered into the earth, there was no more room in her mind for fanciful thoughts of her husband's return. And tiny fingers found themselves wrapped around the wedding ring suspended around her neck by a delicate gold chain. A small piece of him that remained.

...a small piece of him still with her...

And again, her free hand went instinctively to her abdomen. Her gaze drifting away from the casket, Tohru instead stared at her shoes.

Black...formal...like the rest of her attire. And she found herself hating it. Yuki always liked seeing her in yellow. She should have warn something different for him. Black didn't feel right...

...it...should have been yellow instead.

"Tohru..." The soft voice called to her as azure eyes lifted to meet deep rich onyx. "Are you feeling okay? You look a little pale." And Tohru gave a small smile at Akito's kindness.

Tohru found that it was slowly becoming easier to smile again. Especially around Akito.

"I'm fine." She whispered before turning her gaze back to the casket, now in the process of being gently wrapped in a blanket of earth.

"I thought more of his family would have come." The voice lulled to her after a moment, and a small sigh passed through Tohru's delicate button nose.

"Yuki wasn't ever really that close to his family." Tohru whispered almost sadly. "His older brother, Ayame, called and said he couldn't make it." And Tohru watched the man's brows furrow in discontent. "I honestly think it's probably better that way." Tohru whispered. "Yuki never got along with him, anyway. It's best he didn't come." These words lingered mournfully as the two fell back into silence.

"Besides," Tohru murmured thoughtfully as she continued to stare at the ground. "you were the closest thing to family that Yuki really had." She mused with a small, sad smile. "And you're here."

"I..." The man's voice grew a little lower as he spoke to her quietly. "I'm not exactly sure if this is the right time or place." Akito murmured as the two continued to stare forward at the now fully enveloped casket. "But...just before he..." These words drifted along the wind as Akito stopped himself for a moment before starting again. "Yuki told me you two were expecting your first child." And intense onyx eyes met azure as he continued. "He also told me that..." Akito paused again, staring at the woman before him as he found his words. "Well...if you still want me to be the child's God Father...it would be my honor, Tohru." And a few unobtrusive tears trailed along the woman's cheek as she gently wiped them away before nodding with a small smile.

"I think Yuki would have wanted that." Tohru agreed, and the two once again fell into silence as the small funeral service began to draw to an end.

"Thank you, Akito." Tohru whispered as her hand found his for comfort. "For everything." A small side smile and nod was the only response before onyx eyes took in the arrival of a vehicle that the man couldn't place...and the almost content expression the man held fell into blank nothingness at this unexpected intrusion.


	6. And Some Closure

**A/N: So...addressing new business! I'm happy to announce that a long time friend of mine, Simin-chan has come back to us! Please go check out her work!**

**I have also noticed two things during this story.**

**First...there are so very many of you who hate Tohru, yet apparently you say I have been able to portray her in such a way that you actually enjoy her character now! This pleases me.**

**Second...there are also a lot of you who have REALLY come to hate Akito. And tell me so frequently. This pleases me even more.**

**Again, thank you all for supporting me, reading this story, and reviewing. You have no idea how much it means to me, and I can never thank you enough for your endless love and support.**

* * *

Footsteps fell strangely in sync as Yuki stalked side by side in silence with the man he had only just met. His return to the world of the living had been...painful. Excruciating, in fact.

Something Yuki had not expected...being dead...

To have felt anything at all as he was now, let alone pain, left Yuki completely beside himself in silent confusion. And as the waves of anguish and agony ebbed and flowed through his body, the words of his new partner continued to crash along the turbulent seas of his mind.

_'__**'You'**__ are going to get some closure.'_ The man's voice scraped its tendrils along his mind as Yuki tried to decipher exactly what that meant. And why he had needed to come to the world of the living to accomplish this task before beginning his work as a Soul Hound. The only answers to meet him were the sounds of their feet along the concrete ground of the sidewalk. That was, until the man beside him came to a complete stop, leaving Yuki to awkwardly stumble to a stop of his own several paces ahead. Yuki's gaze trailed the man's movements as he silently walked to the driver's side of an old, rundown, white Mitsubishi Lancer.

And Yuki found himself biting down on his lower lip to quell the laughter threatening to crawl up through his throat, instead deciding to make his way to the passengers seat of the overly _underwhelming_ vehicle. Having seated himself next to his new 'partner,' Yuki once again felt a strange sense of peace and familiarity. As if he were home...

_Home..._ That word stabbed at his heart like a rusted knife, taking his breath away. Like the bullet to his head that had ripped that word 'home' away from him. And Yuki wondered if this 'closure' wasn't the worst thing in the world.

...he couldn't imagine spending eternity feeling _this_ angry...

"...so..." Yuki began awkwardly through the silence of the vehicle. "...where exactly are we going?"

"You'll see when we get there." The voice of his new partner quipped harshly, causing and exasperated sigh to push itself through Yuki's slender nose.

...apparently this man was just as cryptic as his girlfriend with the overly-tweeted eyebrows and surgical mask... Fantastic.

"Don't think just because you died that I'm going to feel sorry for you." Kyo continued, his gaze forward as he snapped in response to Yuki's disgruntled sigh. "You're going to need to learn to swallow all of this 'pity me' crap." And Yuki found himself pulled towards the edge of his easy-going nature as he turned in the passengers seat to glower at the man.

"I'm _so_ sorry it _bothers_ you that I can't quite manage to 'get over' being _shot_ in the _face_ by someone I trusted with my life!" Yuki snapped, practically snarling at the man.

"Well at least you had a bullet attached with a quick and painless death!" Kyo hissed back as his fingers gripped the steering wheel. "Try being locked away for months. _Month_! Slowly starving to death in darkness and silence because you finally stopped being useful!" He spat, his voice becoming bitter as he continued. "But you don't see _me_ walking around like a wounded animal!"

"No..." Yuki's tone came cold and biting in its bitterness. "You look like you're doing a _fantastic_ job of coping." Sarcasm dripped off of every word as he continued in a frigid monotone. "Please...enlighten me on how you manage as well as you do."

"Screw you, you pansy-ass girly man!" Kyo snapped, his gaze burrowing into the man in the passengers seat before shifting back to the road ahead.

"For your information I had a _wife_!" Yuki screamed, venting his pain. "We were going to have a _baby_!" His voice hitched and cracked with emotion as a shuttered sigh gripped him.

A moment of silence enfolded and cradled the space between them as Yuki's gaze drifted out past the car window.

"Boohoo." Kyo's light murmur rang deafening through the silence of the vehicle.

"Excuse me?" Yuki's eyes drifted back towards the man in the drivers seat.

"You heard me. Boo-frickin-hoo." He murmured again, his gaze forward. "You need to learn to let this world go. To leave behind the life you had." Kyo's voice was strangely somber in its calmness as the vehicle finally pulled to a slowed stop along the entrance of the Kyoto City Cemetery.

The afternoon breeze caressed itself along his skin as a far off gaze watched the small gathering from afar in stunned silence. So...this is what his new partner had meant by way of gaining closure.

...his funeral...

As he continued to quietly take in the small spectacle, Yuki was struck by the fact that there were so few who had come. So few... And he stared in a state of numb disbelief as the service began to draw to a close. The few in attendance began to approach the freshly tilled earth in order to pay their respects and lay a single white rose along the solemn resting place. Each rose a single kiss. A single tear shed for him.

...and...there were so few...

He knew that it would have been a terrible lie to believe that this scene didn't affect him. But...it would have been an even greater falsity to say that he even understood exactly how he felt in this very moment. This simply couldn't be real.

None of this should have happened.

It wasn't suppose to be like this. Not like this...

Eyes full of anguish and sorrow took in the display as Yuki watched a single black rose land itself among the unblemished purity of white. A single black rose that stood out and screamed at him of his own dark and violent demise. And as his gaze trailed up to the fingers that had dropped it to its resting place, Yuki felt himself filled with rage.

"Akito..." His voice came hissed with venom as he found his legs helplessly carrying him towards the small gathering.

"Aw hell!" Kyo spat, quickly running after the man to keep up with his furious pace.

"Akito!" Yuki began to scream now, startling the few people still at the service.

Dark exotic eyes drew up to meet Yuki's approach. An expression of bemusement etched itself along the features of the man Yuki had once deemed his partner. Brother. Friend. One of the rare few that he'd had in life. The man that had murdered him in cold blood with a single bullet to his face. Without a second thought. And at the mere sight of him, Yuki simply couldn't stave off the fury deep within his soul.

"Akito!" Yuki screamed again, his voice pained and enraged as it broke with the weight of this all encompassing fury.

"...yes...?" The voice of his ex-partner came dark and cool in greeting...as if he didn't even recognize who Yuki was.

"Is everything okay, Akito? What's going on?" A strangely familiar tenor drifted itself sweetly along this moment of rage as Yuki found his anger and thoughts completely stilled and disrupted.

And in that single moment. With that single voice, Yuki found himself completely...frighteningly...disarmed. A heartbreakingly beautiful azure gaze met his own, and for that single moment Yuki felt completely destroyed...but never more fully alive.

"Everything's fine, Tohru." Akito murmured to the woman who had drifted to his side, his deep onyx gaze never leaving Yuki. "I'm sorry... You are...?"

"Really?!" Yuki's voice came filled with rage once more. "You don't know who I am?!" And he felt his fingers lace themselves into painfully tight fists.

"I think I would remember a face as beautiful as yours..." Akito deadpanned, his dark gaze coming with a glint of interest.

"You bastard!" Yuki snarled out, completely enraged at this man's antics.

"I'm sorry..." Akito murmured darkly. "I'm in the middle of a friend's funeral at the moment. This isn't really the best time for me." His voice lulled as he continued, staring strangely at Yuki. "But maybe you and I can talk a little later at a better time? You can find me at the city precinct. Come on Tohru. I'll take you home." Akito's voice turned oddly tender as he offered the woman next to him a smile, wrapping his arm around her waist to lead her as they began to walk away together.

"Tohru!" Yuki felt himself helplessly scream out her name. "You get your hands _off_ of her!" He snarled out, grabbing the man by his shoulder to roughly spin him around as Yuki's fist found it's way to Akito's jaw...taking the man completely off guard as he staggered back, letting out a low hiss of a curse at having been assaulted.

And in that moment Yuki felt himself forcefully gathered up into the unwelcome arms behind him as a hand moved to cup over his mouth to silence him.

Yuki felt the heat of his rage.

He felt the arms around him.

Saw the look of complete frustration behind Akito's eyes at having been hit.

Heard the deafening sound of his own breath as it came pained and ragged through his nose, the disembodied hand remaining on his mouth to muzzle his fury.

"I'm so very sorry about this..." The familiar voice of his new partner rang through his ears as Kyo continued to speak...a strange tone of civility drifting through his voice. "My _friend_ tends to get a little hysterical during funerals. Especially when they haven't taken their medication." Kyo finished, his voice coming almost sweet to Yuki's ears as he continued to gag the man in his arms.

"You know it's a crime to assault a police officer...?" Akito murmured darkly, his gaze drifting away from Yuki as he spoke.

"I do." Kyo's voice lilted sweetly. "Will you consider being gentle on my friend? Seeing as it has been a difficult day for all of us?" Kyo murmured lightly before he practically purred his last words. "Please?" And the small twitch of a smile graced the corner of Akito's lips in response as his eyes roamed over both of them for a moment.

"As long as you keep your friend away from the cemeteries...and make sure that they take their medication." Akito conceded, his tone cold as ice as he spoke, his gaze drifting slowly over the two standing before him once more. "I suppose I can let this little 'outburst' slide."

"Oh thank you, officer." Kyo purred once more, holding tightly to the man in his arms as Yuki tried to lurch forward out of his hold when Akito turned to lead Tohru away from the scene.

And for the second time Yuki was forced to witness his wife...the other half of his soul...being taken away from him by the man who had taken his life. The very man he had trusted so completely. And as they faded together into nothingness Yuki felt the arms around him loosen their hold around his body and mouth. Turning around to face his new partner Yuki violently shoved him before the torrent of screams ripped themselves from the bowls of his hate filled soul.

"What have you done?!" Yuki snarled as he shoved Kyo again. "You just let him go!" He wailed helplessly. "Why?!" This word caught in his throat as he was overcome with rage-laced tears.

"Because you were practically _begging_ to have your contract revoked!" Kyo screamed back in his face. "Or did you completely forget about that?!" And Yuki stumbled back at the palatable weight of these words. "This is all you have left." Kyo growled, his gaze burrowing into the completely befuddled man before him.

"You need to get this resentment out of your system." Kyo continued, his gaze as daunting and intense as his words. "Because you are not _you_ anymore. _You_ are dead and buried. Gone!" Kyo's finger gutted out to the mound of freshly tilled earth laced with the beauty of the few roses placed upon it. "The people you knew! The life you had! Gone!" Kyo hissed. "Deal with it! Move on! Because believe me, there are _no_ second chances for you now..."

...no second chances...

These words reverberated in Yuki's mind as he absorbed their meaning. This was it. This was all that was left to him now. An eternity in a constant battle against evil. Not alive. But...not entirely dead, either.

A damned soul given reprieve from the unrelenting inferno for a single purpose.

Just. One.

And Yuki began to realize that this single purpose left no room for love in his heart. That part of him was dead. Had died the moment everything he had loved and held dear was violently ripped from his fingertips.

...but...he still had a purpose.

With a level of bitter chagrin, Yuki came to the sudden realization that he had his new partner to thank for that. That he still had purpose. With a heavy sigh of resignation to emptiness, Yuki slowly began to make his way back to the vehicle they had arrived in, sensing his new partner as the man trailed not too far behind. And as they both came to sit in the vehicle, a small moment of silence drifted along the moment before Yuki parted his lips. His voice coming as empty and hollow as he felt now.

"Why..." He whispered into the silence, staring out the window. "Why did you bring me here?"

"It's standard protocol." The voice responded just as quiet. "...for those of us who _have_ a funeral..." Kyo murmured. "It's the quickest way to gain closure and detachment from the world of the living before you begin your work as a Soul Hound." His voice turned to the simple breath of a whisper. "To understand that you really _are_ dead. That this is it."

"So you went through this, too?" Yuki murmured quietly in consideration of these words.

"No." Kyo conceded. "Not exactly." And his eyes finally lifted to meet Yuki's gaze as the two stared at each other for a moment before Kyo spoke again. "There was no one to bury my body. No funeral."

And these words settled upon the moment with such heaviness that Yuki was at a complete loss of what to say. So for the longest time he said absolutely nothing. There was really nothing to say in the wake of this moment, anyway.

The sound of the vehicle finally being coaxed to life disturbed the the long moment of silence, followed by Kyo's voice once more as they pulled away from the cemetery.

"So I take it that was the man who killed you." Kyo murmured, keeping his gaze forward as he made this statement.

"Yeah." Yuki conceded.

"He was your partner?" Kyo questioned lightly as Yuki's expression tightened.

"Yeah." Yuki quipped, bitterness filling his words.

"Seems like a real bastard." Kyo spat, causing a cynical snort of agreement to push itself out of Yuki's body. "So how did it feel hitting him?" And a bitter smile twitched along Yuki's lips in consideration before answering.

"Pretty damn good, actually." This admittance caused a small chortle of laughter to pass through Kyo as they once again fell into silence

"So...I have to ask you something." Yuki hesitantly broke the silence, not entirely sure that he wanted the answers he was seeking. "What exactly did you mean when you said that I'm not..._me_...anymore?" And he watched at the man consider how to best answer this question.

"Your body is gone." Kyo began, keeping his eyes on the road ahead of him. "But...in order to go back to the world of the living, you need a living body." He continued, his voice even as he explained. "And since _your_ body is gone, you needed to be given a different one. So...you aren't _you_ anymore."

"Then..." Yuki's voice came on the heels of trepidation. "who _am_ I?" And he watched with a mild level of concern as a smirk began to grow along the lips of his new partner before the man handed something to him as he continued to drive.

"What is this?" Yuki asked, taking in the multitude of varying documents that bared the same likeness.

A painfully attractive woman stared back at him through the documentation. Full, pouting lips. Exotic eyes. Pale crème skin. Hair straight and glossy black that went to her shoulder-line. And a very ample...well endowed...chest.

And Yuki felt his heart sink into his stomach with the next words to be uttered as Kyo nearly chuckled out his response.

"That's who you are now."


	7. An Uneasy Alliance With The Devil

**A/N: YAY! Another update! I wanted to do this one quickly before I leave for a vacation in the real word! So the next chapter should come a little slower than this! But I hope you all enjoy this as a gradual progression of the plot!**

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Thin fingertips lightly thrummed against the armrest to the rhythm of discontent, a soft sigh of irritation coming to amplify the growing tension. Eyes drifted towards this display in agitation of their own at the mere presence of this man. Brown eyes came penetrated and completely ravaged by a deep onyx gaze before they quickly flitted away to break contact.

"Where is he..." The dark voice came smooth in its violence towards the silence of the room.

"Boss Kishimoto is aware that you are here." The man assured coldly, his brown gaze meeting deep onyx once more. "And he will see you precisely when he intends to."

"...so it seems..." The dark voice lulled quietly before it was overtaken by the light drumming of fingertips once more.

Silence.

Silence so completely tangible that it came to spread its ominous tendrils through the room as it emanated from the man in waiting. And as this silence came to completely overwhelm the moment, it was suddenly dispelled with the opening of the door and the arrival of another presence into the room.

The man who entered the room was dressed in an overpriced, professionally tailored suit that did absolutely no justice to his girth. Beads of perspiration lingered along his receding hairline as they made their way down his temple and along the creases of his forehead. And the sickening smell of his body odor came to slowly perforate the space as it mixed itself with the sweeter, almost putrid smell of cinnamon.

"Officer Sohma. How very good to see you." The man practically gurgled out through a thick throat as he came to sit himself in one of the chairs. "And to what do I owe the pleasure of this little visit?" And the smug smile playing along the man's paunchy lips quickly faltered under an unamused onyx gaze.

"...Sota..." Formality and respect immediately dissipated with the informal use of the man's first name as the room filled with a palatable, oppressive tension. "It's unwise to have kept me waiting for you." These darkly murmured words were met with indignation as another voice came angry in the face of such blatant disrespect.

"You will show Boss Kishimoto the respect he deserves!" The voice came harshly snapped, drawing the attention of the the two seated men with this sudden outburst.

"Hideki!" The repugnant man scolded harshly, his gaze drifting to meet angry brown eyes. "_You_ will show officer Sohma the respect _he_ deserves as our guest." Sota reprimanded in a thick voice, taking the man aback.

"My apologies." The man murmured, embarrassment and humiliation flooding his features as his brown gaze dropped to the floor in silence.

In this moment of silence Sota Kishimoto placed a cigarette between his blubbery lips, quickly lighting it as a puff of smoke came pushed through his nostrils to fill the room with yet another offensive odor.

"Would you care for a drink?" Sota offered hospitably through the breath of another drag of his cigarette, his eyes coming to meet a deep onyx gaze and tight lips.

"I don't have time or patience for your pointless power-plays, Sota." The dark voice whispered darker words, calling attention to Sota's actions of having purposely made him wait. "And I find your attempt at making amends with a show of hospitality completely repulsive." Rage and irritation played along the mob boss' features at the way he was berated and spoken to, but he remained silent in the wake of these words. "You know that I'm a very busy man."

"I see." Sota puffed out another cloud of smoke from his cigarette as he considered this. "I heard about what happened at the old warehouse district." He murmured before giving a throaty chuckle. "The results of your work are impressive." He continued, taking another drag of his cigarette before murmuring a little more lowly. "But I'm concerned by the level of attention your latest stunt managed to gather." And Sota's voice came laced with a level of seriousness as he met deep onyx eyes. "You should have been more discreet."

"I chose to be thorough..." Akito quipped in a cold voice. "You've never had a problem with my methods before, Sota." He whispered, his onyx gaze coming intense and penetrating as he searched the man's face. "What has you so concerned now?" And another thick, throaty chuckle came in response as the man finally snuffed out his cigarette.

"When my predecessor made this little arrangement with you, I honestly had my doubts." Sota murmured through his thick lips. "I thought Kabuto was a fool for creating such a risky alliance to eliminate the various factions of the Yazuka opposing him." His lips pursed unattractively as he continued to chortle. "And the fact that you seem to be so invested in the same goal has me thinking that this whole arrangement is working more towards _your_ advantage than my own." Sota clucked his tongue at the mere thought as he finished. "Quite frankly, I don't think that I can trust you."

And at this statement, the man watched as Akito began to laugh. Low, at first, growing upon itself to fill the room before his deep onyx gaze burrowed into the man once more, all traces of humor wiped away as he stared at him seriously for a moment before speaking.

"That's what makes this little deal of ours work so well, Sota." Akito murmured. "You can't trust me at all." And Akito watched the man's expression shift between rage and befuddlement, neither one quite able to take a hold of his bloated features. "The mere thought of having to associate myself with you makes me sick, actually." He continued to murmur, his breathtaking beauty coming placid under a cold gaze veiled by inky bangs. "You...the Yakuza...and all of your kind are truly repulsive, criminal scum of the earth. But the fact remains that there are still factions of the Yakuza that defy you. And...they happen to have something that I need." His voice came in a whisper lost upon wind as he continued. "For now...we have the same goal. Our arrangement continues to be mutually beneficial."

"So you _do_ have ulterior motives." Sota murmured through his stifled rage.

"None that you need to be concerned about at the moment." Akito conceded coolly.

"I don't like this..." The man standing next to Sota murmured lightly to himself, drawing the attention of his employer.

"Neither do I, Hideki." Sota agreed, his gaze drifting back to Akito. "What if I'm not interested in continuing this partnership my predecessor forged with you?" He asked, his tone thick and serious as he stared at the man seated before him.

"That really wouldn't be in your best interest." Akito murmured darkly, his gaze penetrating and intense.

"The way I see it, this alliance is far too risky to continue." Sota chortled, a scowl creasing the folds of his face.

"Fine." Akito conceded, his face placid in the wake of his cold words. "You can try to dissolve this arrangement of ours. But I want you to consider something first." His words came smooth as a small smile began to play along his lips. "With everything I've accomplished in systematically removing your competition...you now have more enemies than ever. And believe me, they won't hesitate to tear you apart when they smell your weakness." The small smile grew as Akito continued, staring at Sota in amusement as he watched the man consider this fact. "And if you actually manage to survive this impending coup d'etat, which is unlikely, then you can look forward to imprisonment when the Kyoto task force completely dismantles the Yakuza."

"You bastard!" Sota's voice raged against the precarious situation he found himself in. "I should have you shot and your body dumped where no one can find you!"

With these enraged words, Akito's expression became extremely taught. In the ensuing silence slowed movements came painfully graceful as slender fingertips found themselves wrapped around the gun concealed at his waist. Bringing it to the eyes and attention of the man who had just threatened him, Akito's own gaze drifted from the gun in his hand to the startled expression of the mob boss. And the two stared at each other for only a moment before lips were thinly parted in a whisper.

"That would be extremely foolish, Sota." Akito murmured, passively directing his gun towards the completely befuddled man. "I've been going through a bit of a trigger-happy phase...and no one would miss you." The man's blubbery lips parted to speak before silence took him over again as Akito sat completely at ease in the moment, another smile playing along his features at the fact that there was some understanding of the situation.

"You worry too much about the possible risks, Sota." Akito murmured lightly to break the oppressive silence of the moment. "Just continue to tell me where the other factions are, and where they're keeping the artifacts I need." He murmured, his deep onyx gaze intense as he continued. "And I'll continue to remove the obstacles in your way. I'll even be willing to allow you to keep whatever they have that I don't need." And with these words Akito drew up his lean frame from the seat as he began to make his way to the door.

"I guarantee you'll live a lot longer if you continue to be useful to me, Sota." Akito murmured this suggested threat.

"And when I finally stop being useful to you...?" The man muttered out, his eyes trailing the retreating form of Akito's slender figure.

"...oh...I wouldn't worry too much about that." Akito chuckled lightly. "I plan on keeping you around for a little while longer. But when that day finally comes." He murmured darkly, another smile playing along his lips. "And it will." He continued as he paused just through the threshold to glance over his shoulder. "I'll put my gun to your head and pull the trigger...and I promise you'll never see it coming." His words came as dark and ominous as the gaze he left upon the moment before leaving the room to be consumed by complete silence.


	8. Waging A War

**A/N: I have come to realize that...if I were actually payed to do this...I would have been fired a long time ago. Though I never really gave myself a deadline for this, I apologize for the delay all the same. But...if truth be told...it's really all TohruKyoYuki's fault. Yes...you heard me. Their story 'Mirror Mirror', and now new adventure 'Incognito' have captivated me so completely. That...and they allowed me the privilege and honor of borrowing their original character, Kurumi, from 'Mirror Mirror' for my project 'Suicide Girl and her Saboten.' So please check them out and don't forget to review their work!**

**Another work that took me in completely was BrokenButFriends' "You're Gone and I Gotta Stay." So please check them out as well!**

**Thank you all for your love and continued support, and without further ado, enjoy!**

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_'...that's who you are now...'_

Yuki's jaw visibly clenched in distress as he continued to process what he had just heard, his amethyst gaze driving into the documentation baring his new image. This had to be a joke. Just a sick jest at his expense because he was the new partner. The 'probie'. He had experienced similar hazing before.

...this was all just a horrible joke at his expense...

"This has to be a joke." Yuki's words finally broke through the silence to convince himself of this fact.

"Really...you're going into _that_ again?" The voice of his new partner came slightly exasperated in the face of Yuki's complaint as amethyst eyes once again drank in the image of the sultry Asian sex kitten his damned soul was now housed in. "For the last time...it's not a joke. Besides, I don't see what the big deal is. This is only your cover for the world of the living."

"This isn't funny!" Yuki snapped, his voice seething as he continued to stare at the image.

"You hear me laughing?" His partner retorted sarcastically.

"Someone needs to _fix_ this! _Now_!" Yuki practically screamed, completely unaware of the scene he was beginning to cause.

"Look." Kyo's voice came stern in the face of Yuki's rage and disbelief. "When you're contracted to become a Soul Hound and reinstated into the world of the living, there are precautions that need to be taken." The voice came low as Kyo continued. "One of those safeguards is to ensure that you can never be identified by those who might have known you when you were alive. To risk that would jeopardize the balance between good and evil and put this world, and everyone you love, in danger." His voice died softly with the seriousness of this statement.

Yuki was left to wallow and drown in this revelation, sinking into the seat of his designated desk as his new partner perched himself along the table top.

"Can't Ou do anything about this...?" Yuki asked, his tone having lost the fire and outrage it had once possessed, only to be met with a startling snort of amusement from his partner.

"You really want to ask her about this?" Kyo questioned with the raise of his eyebrow.

"Well, yeah." Yuki quipped, slightly confused at his partner's reaction. "Can she fix this or not?"

"I don't know." Kyo mused to himself. "We still haven't heard from the last person who complained about their cover." And the amused smirk on his face grew. "But you can try if you really feel that strongly about it." These words gave Yuki momentary pause in actually going to his designated superior.

...Kyo couldn't really be serious...right...?

But the expression the man held created a level of apprehension that kept Yuki in his seat. He didn't want to find out if his new partner was really serious or not. So Yuki decided to allow this added injustice to fuel the hatred-laced bitterness poisoning his soul. One more injustice added to his rage, grief, and sense of loss.

...just one more thing that separated him from everything he had once held so precious...

Gazing aimlessly through the blinding white space of desks and productivity, Yuki began to wonder if he actually deserved this punishment after all. So many times he had taken everything for granted.

Tohru's warmth and unconditional love for him...

The miracle of the innocent child they had made together...

The Kyoto task force's faith and trust in him...

...Akito's loyalty and promised protection in the face of every danger...

All of these things... Yuki had taken _all_ of these things for granted. Had abused them in some way when he was so certain of their existence. And now. Now he was left with nothing.

Nothing but this unwavering, all-consuming rage and a single purpose.

He was no longer a husband. Father. Officer. Friend. Or brother. All of this had been stripped away with a bullet's kiss to leave him with a single, terrifying purpose. The purpose of a damned soul made mercenary of providence in the war against evil.

He could never obtain justice. Or redemption, for that matter. But...he would be able to wage a war. And maybe this would be enough.

...this was what he deserved...

Yuki drifted through the current of these thoughts, allowing them to take him under as the noise around him faded away. He deserved this fate. As this feeling reverberated through his mind, hollow and empty, Yuki's amethyst gaze passively watched these other damned souls. Looking, but not really seeing until one in particular caught Yuki's attention with his strangeness.

The man was so very strange in his appearance alone. Rebellious and standoffish in his looks. Looks that didn't seem to coincide at _all_ with the strange sort of aloofness and easy-going nature that he seemed to exude. These two violently opposing messages coming to make the man appear almost comical in the way he carried himself as he meandered slowly in between the various desks, a large box cradled in his built arms. Even more amusing...? Yuki was almost certain, as he watched the man in his travels, that this man wasn't even _looking_ where he was going. In fact, as Yuki watched more intently, he saw that the man was actually starring anywhere _other_ than straight ahead of him as his gaze at one point came to drift along the contours and lights of the ceiling, one foot continuing in front of the other as the people around him quietly made way.

"Hey Haru!" The sharp, abrasive voice of his new partner violently drew Yuki's attention as the rebellious looking man slowed to a stop.

"Kyo..." The slow drawl of a greeting came to match the man's easy-going nature as he made his way to the desk, box in tow. "How's it hangin'? Heard you got yourself a probie." He deadpanned as a lazy smile drifted along his lips at Kyo's misfortune.

"And_ I _heard you got yourself suspended again, doofus!" Kyo quipped, a scowl shaping his disgruntled features at this jibe as the more rebellious looking soul just gave a lazy shrug of a response. "And from the looks of it, you got yourself on inventory detail."

"Yeah..." Came this single, easy-going confirmation as Yuki continued to take in this conversation, coming completely unnoticed by the two men before him.

"What in the hell did you do _this_ time?" Kyo spat as the other man's steely gaze once again came to aimlessly drift around in complete inattention.

"Idunno." This word lazily flowed out with another shrug. "...don't remember..." And Yuki felt the involuntary tilt of his head in complete confusion at this statement.

"Don't tell me you blacked out and went ape-shit again." Kyo hissed as Yuki's amethyst gaze drifted from the man with the box to his new partner in an attempt to keep adrift in this bizarre exchange.

"Yup." Haru conceded in monotone. "Pretty sure that's what happened...I guess." These words came followed by another casual shrug as Yuki's gaze drifted back to the rebellious man in complete confusion.

"Dammit Haru! What is it with you S-Classes going off the deep end?!" Kyo snarled out in exasperation, sending Yuki's thoughts into a breakneck spiral.

_'All Soul Hounds are designated into class and rank given their skills and talents upon being recruited. __**You**__ are designated a C-Class Soul Hound...Intelligence and Reconnaissance. Ironically, the same dissolute treachery that stained your soul for damnation before death is exactly what we need in this war now. You'll be partnered with another C-Class. We find that this designation works best paired together.'_

Yuki's thoughts raced through the impromptu orientation he had received from the masked woman while on the way to meet his new partner as the present conversation between the two men in front of him drifted in an and out of his awareness.

_'There are other Classes that you'll be expected to coordinate and work with from time to time. A-Class souls are designated strictly for damage control in the world of the living. You'll need to know who they are, because you'll need their skill-set if things go wrong during the apprehension process. Demons enjoy causing havoc and chaos. Because of their skills and talents, all A-Class are partnered with the S-Class...for potential neutralization...'_

Amethyst eyes once again focused on this rebellious looking man as Ou's words continued to flit through Yuki's mind.

_'S-Class are also designated Berserkers. And they're really only good for one thing, and one thing only. Giving Evil complete hell. They're by far the most dangerous and unstable of those we recruit...but...we've found them a necessary evil.'_

So...this 'Haru' was an S-Class, then. That seemed to explain the hostel exterior. But...the man seemed so completely composed and calm. Especially in the face of Yuki's partner and his growing agitation.

"I just can't believe that you only got suspended!" Kyo snapped harshly, his aggressive crimson gaze burning into the stoic man before him. "If any one of us would have pulled even _half_ of the bullshit you get away with our contracts would have been revoked by now! But all you ever get is a slap on the wrist!" But this outrage was only met with a lazy smirk of a smile and another shrug.

"Maybe your girlfriend has the hots for me...?" Haru offered this cheeky explanation, and Yuki watched his partner's features shift in unadulterated rage.

"Leave the Yanki out of this." Kyo's voice came so dangerously low in this hiss of a threat as the rebellious man's steely gaze flickered with something a little darker than mischief, his own voice coming to match the growing tension of the moment.

"Oh...I think I want you to _make_ me..." These words slipped through Haru's lips as he finally set the box he had been carrying onto Yuki's desk, completely ignoring him for his new partner.

"You're such an asshole, Haru!" This shriek of an insult came on the heels of a breathless moment as Haru gracefully moved to close the distance between the two men, grabbing onto the collar of Kyo's shirt to pull him to his own chest.

"Call me an asshole..._one_ more time..." Haru hissed aggressively into Kyo's ear, the entire mood of his calmer nature completely swept away in the wake of this confrontation to reveal something completely dark and defiled.

Yuki watched as this moment seemed to slow to a complete stop in the almost ravenous void of silence. He could feel the absolute fury pouring off of his partner from this lowly hissed challenge, and Yuki had the suspicion that the enraged orange-haired man was not one to easily back down from an open threat. A pin-drop would have come deafening in the wake of this quiet before Kyo parted his lips, the only sound the small breath he drew in to form the words to seal his demise.

But before Kyo even had the change to speak his body was violently thrown to the floor as Haru followed him to the ground in order to assault the man's face with his fist...the bridge of Kyo's nose taking the brunt of abuse.

...and Yuki was beside himself with the complete absurdity of the moment...

He knew he should at least _try_ to help his new partner. On principle alone, if for no other reason at all, Yuki knew he should help him. But...the way this Haru punished him like he meant to kill him caused the strangest stirring of irony that Yuki had ever felt. The impossibility of death, blending itself with the morbid curiosity of what could _possibly_ be accomplished by this beating, caused Yuki to stay rooted where he was. Standing himself up from his desk to better view his partner suffer this abuse before something else entirely caught his amethyst gaze.

Drawn to the contents of the box that had been placed upon his desk, Yuki felt an almost horrifying sense of familiarity. The cold, metallic glint of the strangely engraved artifact came so darkly ominous with the low hiss of the darker voice whispering through his thoughts.

_'Well... At least this will make our job easier. We'll be able to take in the evidence without a fight.'_ The words came so very close to his heart in their familiarity that it nearly took Yuki's breath away.

"Is _that_ what this blood bath was all about...?" He mouthed these words through a mere whisper lost upon wind...the very same question that had been his undoing on the fated day of his murder.


	9. Bread Crumbs And Puzzle Pieces

**A/N: So, I have decided to carry on the tradition of placing blame on unsuspecting victims for my lateness of posting. This time...it happens to be Sweetliars fault. They asked me to do a side project for them, which I should be putting on Wattpad pretty soon. Okay, okay...they didn't really ASK me to do it...I just kind of said I would. And it does not matter that this idea was spoken about AGES ago...and I have, in fact, been done with the project for quite some time now. It is still their fault. You're welcome, SweetLiars.**

**Again, thank you all for continuing to support this story! And I would especially like to thank the guest reviewer, because I cannot thank them personally by PM. You guys are amazing, and you are the reason I keep doing what I do. Never forget that, and own your awesomeness!**

**I now leave you with wishes of a Happy Fourth of July, and the immortal words of Maroon 5. "This summer's gonna hurt like a mother, ah-ha. Ah-ha." Just don't blow yourselves up.**

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_'...you couldn't have left at least __**one**__ for questioning?'_

Breath came ragged against these memories and the background of growing violence and screaming.

_'Not when they were all bound and determined to kill us. No. You can thank me later.'_

Yuki simply continued to stare at the contents of the box on his desk as these violent memories bred chaos and confusion within his soul.

_'How are we going to gather more information about the drugs and weapons ring if we have no one to question?'_

He didn't understand.

_'That's never really been my concern, my friend... Finding answers has always been more of __**your**__ department...hasn't it?'_

The priceless, ancient artifact glinted against the lights above. Mocking him in his upheaval.

_'...that's what we do, Akito...'_

How was it that this fractured puzzle piece of strangely engraved metallic history had come to leave the world of the living?

_'Well...at least this will make our job easier. We'll be able to take in the evidence without a fight.'_

It was merely a piece of evidence...tainted by human hands and human blood.

_'Is __**that**__ what this blood bath was all about? Getting the __**evidence**__?!'_

How had it made its way _here_? To _him_, of all souls?

This was wrong...

_'You know...you've always been just a little too nosy for your own damn good...'_

Everything about this seemed so very wrong. And the longer he continued to stare at the priceless artifact inside of the box, the stranger Yuki began to feel. This wasn't right. _Nothing_ about this was right.

_'__**Akito! No!'**_

Lips quivered against the last memory of his life as Yuki once again felt the agony of the bullets bitter kiss. And words trembled along those lips as his amethyst gaze continued to absorb the artifact's presence.

"Is _that_ what this blood bath was all about...?" He mouthed these words through a mere whisper lost upon wind...the very same question that had been his undoing on the fated day of his murder.

Slender fingertips stretched out in trepidation to touch the artifact within the box. This had to be a mistake. Maybe he had been through too much...too quickly. Maybe the experience of dying had altered his perception. Because this couldn't be happening. This was so beyond wrong that it simply had to be a mistake. But he needed to know...for sure. He had to touch. But as fingertips met with cold metal a violent snarl startled Yuki into awareness as his amethyst gaze was completely violated by violent steel.

"What do you think you're doing?" Haru growled lowly at him, having finally come up off of the floor from assaulting his new partner.

"I..." Yuki stammered under the weight of having become Haru's next victim of abuse, quickly drawing his fingers back from the box.

As the two stared each other down, Yuki watched from his peripheral as his partner finally rose from the floor behind the infuriated soul meaning to do him harm. And in the breath of a heartbeat Kyo swiftly grabbed the back of the man's head to violently slam his face into Yuki's desk, the sound so loud and startling that Yuki physically flinched away as Haru crumpled to the floor and out of his line of sight.

"What the hell, Kyo?" Yuki whimpered helplessly as his gaze drifted to his partner, the man visibly disheveled and panting from his struggle against the S-Class soul. "Is he going to be okay?" Amethyst eyes drifted from Kyo's enraged expression towards the floor where Haru had fallen.

"He'll be fine." Kyo snapped, glaring at the startled man behind the desk as another voice came muffled from the floor below.

"...dammit, Kyo..." Yuki heard the faint manifestation of a groan from the familiar voice as the steel-gazed man pulled himself up on shaky legs. "Why the hell'd you do that...?"

"Because you completely lost your shit!" Kyo snarled out, his aggressive gaze burrowing into the visibly befuddled man.

"...again...?" Haru questioned, rubbing his head in confusion as he winced through the pain. "Did I hurt anyone?" This question left Yuki completely flabbergasted as he looked from one man to the other before his lips moved of their own accord to draw their attention to him.

"Actually..." Yuki murmured softly as both men finally took notice of him. "You pretty much beat the holy living shit out of him..." Yuki offered this up to the confused soul, pointing a finger to his enraged partner. "Does that count?"

"...I did...?" Haru murmured lightly, glancing from Yuki to the man standing next to him, having regained his calm aloofness in the face of his rage.

"Screw you, you pansy-ass girly man!" Kyo screamed at Yuki, jutting his finger at the new recruit as the others continued about their business. "And where the_ hell_ were _you_ when I was getting my ass kicked?" And all Yuki could manage was a slight shrug of the shoulders.

He had no idea what the man had actually expected him to do... And as the two stared at each other, Kyo's breath heaving in his chest, Yuki began to wonder if this new existence would ever feel normal. This certainly wasn't what he had expected when he had thought of life after death. Not even close.

"Sorry, Kyo." Haru deadpanned this casual apology to gently dispel the hostility between the partners as Kyo's enraged glare shifted from Yuki to the steely eyed Soul Hound.

"Just walk away from me." Kyo snapped angrily as Haru offered a lazy shrug in response before picking up the box, and the strange sensation of wrongness once again violently washed up and over Yuki to drown him.

"Wait a minute." Yuki murmured lightly, gaining Haru's attention.

"Hm?" Haru almost grunted, the calm sense of aloofness pouring off of him once more.

"What exactly _is_ that?" Yuki questioned, indicating the box's contents as Haru's steely gaze drifted down to the ancient artifact.

"Idunno." Came another lazy murmur. "Some old piece of crap." Haru deadpanned with a shrug before gazing at Yuki. "I was just told to catalog it and put it away. Shigure's the one who found it on some demon when he took them down. He might know what it is." He offered before continuing on his way, taking the artifact with him.

And Yuki was left with this all-consuming feeling of dread. This artifact...had been in the possession of a demonic entity? A puzzle piece that Akito had been so very eager to collect. The same priceless object that Akito had seemed so willing to murder for.

...that Yuki had lost his life for...

And it had been in the possession of a demon. In the land of the living. And this 'Shigure' had collected it. Now...more than ever...Yuki understood what he needed to do.

"Kyo." His voice manifested softly as his gaze stayed trained on Haru's retreating form. "How do I go about finding this 'Shigure.'" Amethyst eyes drifted to meet crimson as Yuki's voice grew serious with the weight of the task before him. "I think I need to talk to him."


	10. Wild Horses and Hell Hounds

**A/N: Wow...almost two months. Now...who's fault would that be. Hm...lets see. Okay...this time I will take the heat. Totally my fault. But...in my defense...I did just have a birthday. I hope that you are all enjoying this story, and let me know if you feel the plot is moving too slowly. Trust me...I have plans for this.**

**And to those who are still with me on this story. All I can say is thank you.**

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Stalking through the rows of desks, Yuki pushed through the endless eyes cast upon him as he made his way to find the unruly Hatsuharu. Frustration coursed its way through his veins like hot fire in aggravation towards his so called 'partner's' disinterest over the ancient tablet. Kyo had been less than interested in its significance in Yuki's eyes...and had actively refused to help him in locating the one who had found it. Shigure.

...apparently Kyo liked Shigure even less than Haru and his new partner...

But Yuki needed to talk to him all the same. To find out what he knew about this artifact...and how he had come across it. And Yuki's professional intuition and gut instinct drove him forward to follow this need. To find this Shigure and talk to him. But...in order to do that...he needed Haru's help.

...because Kyo was useless...

Making his way through the sea of damned souls, Yuki finally caught sight of Haru sitting at his desk. Funny...considering the man didn't seem one for sitting...or desks. And the contrasted image of calm, administrative productivity came all the more amusing to Yuki as he took in the man saddled with a mound of paperwork, and an oddly blank expression etched along his bored features.

"Haru..." Yuki's voice floated through the air tentatively as the man continued to stare along the ocean of paperwork in front of him. "...are...you busy...?" And steely gray eyes lifted themselves from the monotonous pages to meet Yuki's hesitate gaze.

"Not really." Haru offered in a deadpan, setting down the pencil that had been poised between his fingers.

Taking this statement as a form of invitation to continue forward, Yuki once again took in the plethora of work surrounding the man. And upon closer inspection, it was clear that some were detailed catalogs and rosters of various items collected from the land of the living. No doubt pried from the hands of demons as they were hurled back to the depths of Hell. And Yuki wondered to himself if the man might actually be willing to let him sift through some of the documents to further his personal investigation.

...under the guise of assisting him with his work load, of course...

But Yuki was completely stilled in his movements as he took in the papers the man had been working directly on. Amethyst eyes roamed over the document, but Yuki couldn't bring himself to focus on and absorb its contents. He was simply too flabbergasted at what covered the report as his eyes beheld the page littered with a plethora of little, crudely drawn stick figures. Yet the man had looked so intent in his work. And Yuki drew in a held breath to still the many myriad of thoughts flooding his mind. None of them best to voice to this unpredictably volatile man.

"So..." The calm, even deadpan parted lips that drew Yuki's attention away from the documents. "You said you needed something?" This question came with a blank stare as Haru waited for a response.

"Yeah." Yuki's voice came slow and placid in an attempt to avoid unnecessary confrontation with this man as he chose his words carefully. "I was wondering if you wouldn't mind letting me have a better look at that artifact you were about to log and shelve?" And before Yuki had even finished his question he watched the man become bored in his presence and go back to filling various documents with graffiti.

"Sorry." Haru mumbled as he continued to absentmindedly doodle on the reports given to him. "Already put it in evidence." And Yuki's expression faltered in disappointment, his amethyst gaze drifting away in consideration of his next course of action.

As words began to form along his lips, Yuki's thoughts of the artifact, Akito, and finding Shigure were all spectacularly derailed by the woman who casually sauntered her way towards the two men. Her gothic, scantily clad, voluptuous figure made its home amongst the documents and reports as she silently perched herself on the corner of Haru's desk. And the man seemed to pay absolutely no amount of attention to her as dark, sultry eyes drifted along Yuki, taking him in.

"Who's this?" These words came coldly murmured, her gaze continuing to penetrate Yuki's very being as she leaned herself forward, her chest pushing itself out of her black-laced corset.

Had Yuki actually been alive, he was almost certain that this very moment would have sent him to his grave with the way his chest constricted in response to this woman's provocative nature. Yet the man at the desk gave little notice of this visual as he continued to violate the reports with his drawings, his response coming in a low, disinterested drawl.

"Kyo's new partner." And Yuki watched the lightest of simpers ghost along the woman's lips before they drew taught again in seriousness.

"Uotani's idea?" This question came lowly asked as the woman adjusted her position slightly along the desk, uncrossing and crossing her legs in such a manner that Yuki was almost certain he was now blushing from head to toe...if that was even possible for the dead.

"Yup." The response came deadpanned as Haru continued about his work with the reports, and a small sigh passed through the woman's nose as her gaze continued to roam along Yuki's body.

"What did he do to piss her off this time?" She asked, her words cold and serious as Yuki's features shifted into a scowl towards the not-so-subtle insinuation of his partnership having been used as a form of punishment.

"Who knows." Haru murmured disinterestedly with a halfhearted shrug of his shoulders. "Those two are always going off about something. If they were both alive they'd end up killing each other." And the woman's gaze finally drifted towards the man she had been speaking with as her long, inky black tresses tumbled over her shoulder with this movement of her sinful body.

"So I managed to pull some strings with Ou, and she says that with the strange influx of demonic activity you are cleared for field duty." And a steely gaze lifted from the papers as Haru stared at the woman for a moment.

"Have I told you how much I love you, Rin-Rin?" And Yuki's face contorted into complete bafflement as that small, seductive simper played along the woman's lips once more.

"I know you do."

"It's about time Ou let me off suspension." These words came groaned through Haru's lips as he leaned himself back in his chair to stretch himself out. "She knows I can't read half the crap that she puts on my desk." And calm, steely eyes met exotic brown as Haru took one more look at the woman on his desk. "I'm going to get my gun. I need to shoot something." And as Haru raised his built frame from his seat lips parted to still his departure.

"Hey, Haru?" Yuki's words came lowly murmured as a calm steel gaze drifted in his direction. "Is there any way you can help me find Shigure so I can talk to him about the tablet he found?" And a small sigh passed through Haru's nose as he stared Yuki down for a moment of consideration.

"You know...as your partner Kyo should really be helping you out with this... Not me. Intell's not really my thing." Haru's voice came low and husky as a small twitch of a smirk played along the woman's lips in response to his statement.

A sigh of defeat came in bitter agreement. Haru was right. But Yuki had already tried that route to no avail. Kyo had been less than interested in further investigating the strange artifact, and had told Yuki as much before turning his back and walking away. If Yuki wanted answers, he needed to look elsewhere.

"I went to Kyo first." Yuki admitted, his amethyst gaze dropping to the floor in defeat.

"And..." Haru murmured lowly, his intense gaze never faltering as he crossed his arms along his chest, leaning himself against the desk next to the woman. "Why do you think _I_ would help you instead of him?" Lifting his gaze, Yuki squared his shoulders to bolster himself in the face of this man's calm, penetrating gaze.

"Because..." Yuki murmured, his voice wrapped in a false confidence as he stood his ground. "Kyo doesn't think that it's important enough to investigate. But..." His amethyst gaze gauged every microscopic expression that flickered across the stoic man's face. "...I think you're smarter than that."

"Hm..." Haru practically grunted, his expression giving away nothing of his decision to offer his assistance as he murmured lowly. "So Kyo doesn't think it's worth looking into...?"

"No." Yuki conceded. "He doesn't." And at this a wry smirk made its way along the man's lips as his eyes shown with the smallest hint of mischief.

"Well...that's good enough for me." Haru chuckled out as the smile along his lips began to grow. "Rin..." Haru murmured as he continued to stare Yuki down. "...let's help this man get some answers." And the woman slowly lifted her sultry body from the desk in response as she gave a nod of concession.

"Go suit up, Haru." Her voice came lithe in its monotone as her intensely dark gaze burned through Yuki. "I'll take the probie to Shigure and then I'll meet up with you later."

"Thank you, Rin." Yuki's words came sincere in their gratitude before he was taken completely off guard as the woman stalked over to him in her stiletto heeled boots, her lips parted in a frighteningly low hiss of disdain.

"Don't _ever_ call me that." And Yuki's gaze grew large in the face of her rage, finding himself completely befuddled and at a loss of words.

"But..." Yuki stammered in an attempt to thwart the heat of her seething anger. "Haru-"

"Haru is my partner." The woman quipped, cutting Yuki off to leave him choking on the words lodged in his throat. "_You_ are not." Her words came lowly murmured. "My name is Isuzu. Call me Rin again and I will castrate you like a three year old steer." With that she turned on her heels and stalked off, leaving Yuki completely flabbergasted and slack-jawed.

"Quite the woman, isn't she? Wild horses couldn't pull me away from her." This low whisper of admiration found its way through Yuki's stupor as words managed to find him once more.

"And she's your partner?" Yuki asked, his words slow as his eyes continued to follow the fuming vixen.

"More than that." He heard solemn words from Haru's lips as the man continued, Haru's voice coming with an undertow of emotion Yuki found himself intimately familiar with as the man finally turned to dismiss himself as well, casting a sidelong glance over his shoulder with his parting words. "I depend on her to keep me out of Hell. Or send me there herself."


	11. And His Name Was Death

**A/N: A special thank you to all of you who are still out there supporting this story. You have no idea what your love and support means to me. Your loyalty is something that continues to deeply humble me, and something that I truly cherish. Thank you.**

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"_When (the Lamb) broke open the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature cry out, "Come forward." I looked, and there was a pale green horse. Its rider was named Death, and Hades accompanied him."_

_-Revelation 6:7-8_

Trailing behind the sultry, gothic succubus, Yuki continued to view this strange woman in silent contemplation. His amethyst gaze couldn't avoid drinking in her unabashed, shameless attire that left little to one's imagination. Long, sinfully provocative legs came clad in dramatic, black, thigh-high stiletto heels. A skin-tight black leather mini skirt wrapped itself around the woman's waist...just long enough to barely cover her shapely back-end which was further accentuated by the gun strapped to the small of her back by a leather studded belt. And what he could see of her corset through her straight, waist-length raven hair was barely laced together to expose her spine which came decorated in intricate Japanese calligraphy. Through the pendulum swing of her hair, Yuki could make the details of the script running down the length of her spine; the kanji coming to form the words 'Chaos, War, Revolution, Peace.' And he began to wonder what these words had meant to this woman, and what type of person she had been in life. Haru's words continued to resonate through the depths of Yuki's mind.

_'I depend on her to keep me out of Hell. Or send me there herself.'_

These words. These words had held something so much deeper and more significant than love and adoration for this woman. They seemed to convey a reliance upon her build on the foundations of absolute and unconditional trust. An unshakable trust only forged in the very fires of Hell itself...between two people who had bared witness to evil in its truest forms, and had pulled each other through to the other side.

A bond. One Yuki thought he'd had...once. One he had believed to be absolutely indestructible. Funny how a single act of betrayal could so easily tear that bond down to its very foundation and reduce it into the rubble of smoke, ash, and bitter resentment.

One single act of betrayal... Yuki doubted that he had the resolve to seek out that bond again. To trust. And as voluptuous hips swayed in time and rhythm to the dance of Isuzu's stiletto boots, Yuki found his heart begin to harden against Haru's words and this notion of trust. And his gaze drifted to the floor with the heavy bitterness of his heart.

It didn't matter to Yuki that his new partner didn't care enough to look into the significance of the ancient artifact that had been discovered and brought back from the world of the living. He knew without a doubt that Akito had been up to something when the two of them had brought down that Yakuza drug ring. Only one of many they had managed to find and disassemble during their partnership on the Kyoto task force. One too many for its discovery to have merely been coincidence. And yet again...Akito's final words whispered through the depths of Yuki's mind.

_'You know...you've always been just a little too nosy for your own damn good...'_

No...it was no coincidence that Akito had simply 'stumbled' upon the abandoned warehouse stronghold. Akito was far too smart for that, and Yuki could see now that Akito's hunt had most likely been intentional in its focus. But why? And...for what? What had he been looking for?

Yuki sensed that the artifact he had seen on the day of his death...and the identical ancient tablet that had been collected from the hands of a demon by Shigure...were significant puzzle pieces that he hoped would lead him to some much needed answers. And if Providence had seen fit to utilize his talents in life in order to gather intelligence and information from the great beyond...then that was exactly what Yuki would do.

With...or without his new partner's support.

As Yuki sensed the woman slow to a stop, his amethyst gaze lifted up from the floor and out of his dark musing to once again take notice of the souls around him. Coming to stand at yet another bland desk filled with a myriad of files and reports, Yuki absorbed the odd sense of normalcy as he watched the two men converse casually with one another...without the threat or actual use of violence... And as the woman disturbed this peaceable conversation rich, warm, soft brown eyes drifted towards her voice.

"Shigure..." This name came lowly murmured from the woman's lips as a playful smile began to spread and grow along the man's lips as he sat at his desk.

" Ah, Isuzu!" The man chirped happily, his warm gaze dancing under the woman's attention. "Mon cher! What brings you to see me? Finally thinking about leaving Haru for an older man?" His voice came shamelessly flirtatious as he managed to pair his winning smile with the arch of his brow.

"Spare me your silver tongue, you lecherous dog...before I rip it from your mouth and shove it down your throat..." And Yuki watched as the man seemed almost undaunted in his efforts in the face of this threat.

"You wound me, Isuzu." The man placed his hand along his heart, feigning a dismal expression as an exasperated sigh forced its way from the man standing beside him that he had been speaking with moments before. "Here you come all the way just to look for me, only to tease me with the promise of such sweet torture from your fingertips."

"Shigure..." The man standing near the desk finally murmured through his disapproval of the conversation. " Isuzu is an A-Class soul. She as full authority from Providence to dispatch you at any point she sees fit." The man continued in monotone, his words as blunt as they were cold. "It's unwise to antagonize her."

"Ha'ri..." Shigure's voice came smooth and unaffected in his chastisement of the man. "...if there's one thing I don't need it's your 'it's-unwise-to-antagonize-her' attitude."

"Please give me a reason to shoot you." The man muttered, his expression one of stone as he stared Shigure down where he sat.

"Now that's just hurtful, Ha'ri." Shigure murmured, having momentarily forgotten the woman's presence. "You're still just getting to know me, partner. I promise you'll like me a lot more once you do."

"I find that highly unlikely..." The man spoke lowly before his cold gaze drifted away in mild contempt.

"Just keep in mind that if my contract is revoked, then it will be _you_ who has to go before Providence and Uotani with an explanation. I very much doubt I'm worth the paperwork or headache." Warm, soft brown eyes shown with a mischievous light as his smile widened. "It's better just to be my friend." And another huff of disapproval manifested from the man standing next to the desk.

"Why would Uo be concerned over his contract...?" Yuki whispered discreetly to the woman next to him, inadvertently gaining that soft warm gaze.

"And who are you?" Shigure murmured through his smile, his eyes burrowing deeply into Yuki, moving him to stillness under that penetrating gaze.

"This is the probie working with Kyo." The woman murmured on Yuki's behalf, leaving him to choke on the response he might have given had he not been silenced, and a sharp snort of amusement pushed itself from Shigure's body as he began to laugh.

"Kyo's new partner? No way?!" Shigure barked through his amusement. "Uotani's idea?" And the woman simply offered a silent not of concession before warm brown eyes drifted towards Yuki once more. "How's that working out for you?" The man's smile widened with this question, causing Yuki's expression to furrow in discontent.

"It's working out great..." Yuki deadpanned in the face of this man's amusement, and he finally understood why Kyo had been so reluctant to seek this man's advice.

"To answer your question...why Uotani would have special interest in my contact with Providence." The man murmured, his fingers coming to trail along his chin in thoughtful contemplation. "I assume you've already met our delightful little friend, Hastuharu?" He questioned, and Yuki gave a slow, somewhat confused nod. "Well...besides Haru and Kureno, who's sadly no longer with us..." Shigure spoke lowly, his soft brown gaze coming mischievous under his growing smirk. "I'm the only other S-Class Berserker currently on the side of Providence." And his eyes shown with something like malicious intent, dangerously warring with the more jovial and playful nature as he continued. "We're the souls least often recruited by Providence...and who's contracts are most often revoked." The grin turned completely playful as Shigure finally averted his attention back to the woman next to Yuki. "Usually revoked by our own partners. Isn't that about right, _mon chéri_?" Shigure's tone came inappropriately suggestive with the waggle of his eyebrows as a scowl of complete disdain etched itself along the woman's exotic features.

"We didn't come here to listen to your self-important rhetoric!" Isuzu snapped in frustration as the man began to chuckle under her fury.

"Then what is it you need from me, my love? The flame of my heart. My flower. The source of my longing and desire. The burning ache in my-" In the breath of a heartbeat Shigure's words were silenced as the woman retrieved the strange sidearm from the small of her back, closing the distance to press the gun to Shigure's forehead as a low hiss ripped itself from her body.

"Keep running your mouth, _dog_..." Her voice came but a brutal whisper as the gun remained poised along Shigure's forehead, the man standing at his desk coming strangely unmoved in his partner's defense. "...I know Hell will gladly embrace you." And with the flash of a smile and impish chortle of laughter, Shigure finally threw his hands up in defeat and surrender to this woman's rage.

"Okay." Shigure chuckled. "I'll play nice. Honestly." His smile softened as the gun finally drifted away from his head, his gaze peering into the woman as his words came laced with a level of sobering seriousness. "How exactly can I help you, Isuzu?" This question came murmured with a lack of playfulness as the woman gave a resounding huff of irritation.

"The probie needs to ask you about the artifact you came in with. He thinks it might be of some importance..." And Yuki didn't miss the tone of incredulity along the woman's tongue before her dark gaze drifted to Yuki, the attention of the group now falling upon him.

"It's..." Yuki stammered under the weight of the eyes upon him. "I just...I saw something that looked almost exactly like a piece of that tablet you found..." He murmured, his voice growing faint through the constant memories waging war in his mind. "...just before I died..." His gaze met that of soft brown as the man stared at him intently, his expression unreadable as he listened. "I was hoping you could tell me what you know about the fragment you found."

"Well..." Shigure's tone and expression came in earnest consideration as he mulled over this request. "Lucky for you, I just so happen to know a little something about that artifact." His voice delved just a little lower, drawing Yuki in as he listened. "I was in academia once. A writer and researcher. History, mostly." A strange little smile twisted the corner of his lips at this memory. "Though academics never paid as well as my little side projects." His voice came laced with a hint of amusement. "Too bad it all had to end so soon with a simple dispute. There were so many romantic tails I had left unwritten." The man lamented almost comically. "But my editor didn't appreciate my...methods...of research for these particular novels." The smile along his lips lingered with these memories as he continued to indulge himself in his new audience. "You know...I never fully understood the phrase 'hell hath no furry like a woman scorned' until my editor walked in on me screwing another woman." Shigure's soft warm gaze met Yuki's once more as he continued. "Being stabbed over forty seven times allows a man to really reflect over his life as it ends." And those soft brown eyes didn't miss the look of shock along Yuki's face as that smile swept further along his lips. "Believe me..." His voice murmured softly to Yuki now. "...that hateful bitch gave me exactly what I deserved." And with this he gave another comically doleful sigh. "It's just a shame that I didn't survive that little domestic spat." A smile twitched along his lips as he finished. "It would have made one hell of a story."

"You had better be making your point..." The woman to Yuki's side muttered darkly as Shigure simply flashed her a debonair smile in response.

"But of course, dearest!" Shigure chirped happily, his smile turning cheeky before his gaze drifted towards Yuki once more.

"How much do you know about Revelations?" He questioned seriously.

"Revelations?" Yuki asked, his expression gently shaped in confusion with the small shake of his head.

"The foretelling of the end of the world." Shigure clarified. "The four horsemen of the apocalypse." He murmured lightly, coming entranced in his own words. "The tabled I found held a small part of this myth. Of the fourth rider, mostly. It spoke of Death, and his annihilation of the world, from what little I could make of it." And those warm brown eyes peered into Yuki as the man fell into silence.

"Why would a demon be interested in something like that?" Yuki whispered with the gentle furrow of his brow.

"Hm... Why _would_ a demon be interested in the destruction of the world...?" Shigure almost scoffed as Yuki's furrow deepened into a scowl of discontent at the man's mocking.

"So this demon wanted to destroy the world? With this fragment?" And at this Shigure let out a small snort of laughter before sobering himself in the face of this question.

"Honestly...?" Shigure asked softly, that same gaze intently questioning Yuki. "Demons tend to be sentimental bastards." He mused to himself somberly. "I imagine that the demon I apprehended was holding onto that thing as a momento. A keepsake." The man offered this opinion with a shrug of dismissal. "If I were you, kid, I wouldn't put a whole lot of stalk into a myth like this. It's probably nothing."

But this didn't set at all well with Yuki. Not one bit. Because...in the ten years that he had known the man, Yuki knew _one_ thing for _certain_ about his treacherous partner. Akito would have never wasted his time and risked his life over something that was worthless to him. The piece of tablet Shigure had found _might_ have held only sentimental value to the demon. But Yuki remained convinced that if something like these fragments sparked _Akito's_ interest...they were anything _but_ meaningless.

"No..." Yuki whispered to himself, catching the attention of the man sitting at his desk. "It's not 'nothing'." He murmured, his amethyst gaze drifting to meet soft brown. "Akito wouldn't want something like this if it was 'nothing'."

"Akito?" Shigure murmured lightly, his interest peeked, and the woman to Yuki's side gave him a subtle glance that spoke volumes...cautioning him against speaking further to this man.

"You have your answers, probie..." She murmured lightly to him. "We need to go now." And a small nod of concession followed the movements of Yuki's body as he dutifully trailed after the woman.

As they walked in silence, Yuki thought over this woman's actions. How she had silenced him into saying anything further about his partner. And Yuki couldn't help but wonder why...

"...you don't trust him..." Yuki murmured softly as they walked in tandem.

"No." The woman deadpanned bluntly. "And it's best if you don't, either."

* * *

**A/N: For a moment I thought about apologizing for the lateness of this chapter. Only for a moment...until I remembered that it is, in fact, completely someone else's fault. Always. And this time...I blame Fandom Angst. I know, I know, you are all probably thinking '...but...you are doing this story FOR Fandom Angst.' And you would all be right. But that doesn't change the fact that it is their fault.**

**And on another note pertaining to the quote above. When I searched for it, I found it a little odd that the description of the horse was not just 'pale' but 'pale green.' When I looked further, there was a specific note on this description. And I found out that this specificity of pale green was intentionally pointing to the color of death and decay.**


	12. Sathanus

"_Holy water! _

_Cannot help you now..._

_A thousand armies..._

_Couldn't keep me out._

_I don't want your money._

_I don't want your crown._

_See I've come to burn..._

_Your kingdom down._

_Holy water!_

_Cannot help you now..._

_See I've come to burn..._

_Your kingdom down._

_And no rivers...and no lakes can put the fire out._

_I'm gonna raise the stakes..._

_I'm gonna smoke you out..."_

_-Florence &amp; The Machine "Seven Devils"_

"So have you had the ultrasound yet?" This cool, monotone statement came genteelly murmured as a lighthearted giggle manifested in response.

"I did!" The lithe, chimelike laughter continued. "Just the other day, actually."

"And...the baby?" This question came smooth with an undertow of interest.

"The baby's perfect and healthy!" The softer voice cooed with enthusiasm and a warmth so complete and whole that it filled the entirety of the space surrounding them.

"Do you know what you're having?" The voice came measured...calm and cool in it's inquiry.

"No." This response came laced in mild disappointment. "It's still too early."

"Pity." This sentiment of dissatisfaction came lowly whispered. "I was hoping that you might have found out."

"The doctor said it would be at _least_ another three weeks before they can tell for certain. But..." This breathless whisper parted blushed, full lips as a small, delicate hand went instinctively over the growing abdomen. "I have a feeling it's going to be a boy." This statement came laced along a tender smile...soft and almost whimsical at first as it grew in confidence along this declaration. "He kicks so very strong...he just _has_ to be a boy."

"Have you thought of any names yet?"

And the delicate, slender fingertips of Tohru's free hand gracefully swept along a chocolate brown wisp of hair, tucking it behind her ear before preoccupying themselves with the large wedding band that hung suspended from her neck like a pendulum. The movements coming so soft. So feminine and tender as her azure gaze drifted along the contents of her coffee cup in contemplation.

"No. Not yet." Her voice lilted thoughtfully over this question. "Maybe Yuuki." Tohru murmured lightly, twisting the ring along it's chain. "After his father."

"Courage..." The slightly deeper voice responded coolly to the significance of this name-sake. "I think Yuki would have liked that." And a tender smile lifted Tohru's lips as her azure gaze continued to linger along the cup on the table as she whispered.

"I think so, too."

"Tohru...?" The voice called to her, gaining her attention as her azure gaze met that of deep onyx orbs. "I have something that I've been meaning to ask you..." These words grew low upon themselves in a sobering tone that immediately drew Tohru in. "For a long time, now...actually."

"What is it, Akito?" Her delicate brows drew together in concern over the seriousness playing along the features of her husband's partner.

"Well..." Akito's voice drifted along the air, lowly, like a whisper of wind as he averted his gaze from the woman. "I've had a question that I've wanted to ask you...but..." His words wavered along his lips as he continued. "...the timing has never really seemed right..." He whispered, his dark, penetrating gaze finally lifting to meet hers once more. "Until now."

"What do you want to ask me, Akito?" Tohru murmured, her delicate lower lip coming between her teeth to quell the trembling.

"Tohru..." Her name came along his lips, causing her to shudder as he gazed upon her, his hand drifting across the table to claim fingers that had halted their contact with the ring along her neck.

"Yes...?" Tohru's voice almost caught in her throat as she became swept up in the sheer intensity of the man sitting across her dining room table.

"I need to know...if..." Akito's voice came but a whisper, his features smooth and calm in their pale beauty as they came contrast with the dark intensity of his gaze. "...if...you blame me for what happened to Yuki."

Azure eyes welled with strange emotion at the suddenness of this unexpected question as thick lashes fluttered in response to keep the sting of tears at bay.

"...what...?" Tohru's breath came fragile as her delicate brows came furrowed in bewilderment.

"Do you blame me?" Akito repeated, his voice as steady as his dark gaze. "I would understand if you did. I...just need to know."

"How could I _possibly_ blame you?" She questioned, her tiny fingers curling tightly around the hand holding hers.

"I was there when he..." Akito murmured, unwilling to finish this as he continued, his eyes finally drifting away from Tohru's face. "I should have protected him. Brought him back home to you, like I always did."

"You couldn't have _possibly_ known what was going to happen, Akito." Tohru murmured, her voice and heart so filled and moved with emotion. "My husband knew the risks each time he left our home." She whispered, her own gaze falling as she continued to hold onto Akito's hand. "And he accepted the danger just like you do. It's part of the calling...and he wouldn't have been happy doing anything else." The lightest shake of her head moved Tohru as she closed her eyes, her brows furrowed in thought to her words. "And he _certainly_ wouldn't be happy knowing that you blame yourself."

"I've never _once_ blamed you, Akito." The call of his name drew dark onyx orbs to her delicate face, their gaze colliding as azure eyes held a level of fierce strength. "And I think that if Yuki were still here, he would tell you the same thing."

"...thank you..." This low murmur of gratitude came wrapped in a moment of comfortable silence that they shared and embraced together before the soft vibration of Akito's phone came to disturb the quite.

"Sohma." Akito's greeting came low and monotone towards the person on the other end of the phone as his features shaped themselves into cold professionalism. "Yes...?" This question came lowly murmured as he continued to listen to the disembodied voice on the other end of the phone. "Are you sure about this?" His tone gained an edge of authority as he gently released Tohru's hand, standing himself from the intimate dining table and his unfinished coffee. "I see..." His gaze landed to the floor in contemplation as his attention waned from the woman at the table observing his one-sided conversation. "I'll need some time." A moment of silence fell upon him as he listened before he gave the lightest nod of the head. "Meet me over on Gojo _Street _and Yamato-oji. In the Gion district. I'll be there in an hour. It's best if you come alone." This almost chilling statement ended the one-sided conversation as Akito closed his phone, placing it in the pocket of his uniform pants before that dark gaze drifted towards Tohru once more.

"I'm really sorry, Tohru..." He murmured, offering her the small ghosting of a smile along his lips as she gazed up at him from her seat at the table.

"Work?" She asked, returning his kindness with a bright, happy smile...a smile hiding a level of worry and concern for his safety as he gave a small, stiff nod.

"But..." Akito spoke lowly, his gaze intently meeting her face. "There's something I'd like to give you before I go."

With these words, Akito's lean fingertips slipped into the pocket of his uniform pants before retrieving a small trinket held concealed in the palm of his hand. Tohru waited in breathless anticipation, having no idea what to expect from the man who had already surprised her once this day. As he approached her, Akito quietly drifted himself down to one knee in order to make himself eye-level with the woman held captivated by his movements. And Tohru's button nose unintentionally wrinkled itself in and automatic response to the scent of putrid cinnamon that suddenly flooded and ravaged her senses. Overcome by a abrupt wave of nausea, a tiny hand came to cup over her mouth. But her gaze...it was still so entranced by what Akito held in his hand as fingers slowly spread to reveal the small, token treasure.

A ring.

And it was so strangely magnetic in it's hypnotic beauty. So completely mesmerizing that Tohru couldn't help but reach for it as her tiny, slender fingers carefully grasped the trinket from Akito's open palm. Raising it closer to her gaze to examine all of the many little details of the elaborate ring, she twisted it and turned it with her fingers. Though the medal was aged and worn, the intricate markings engraved in the band came clear and almost magnetically attractive and alluring as her gaze roamed and explored every inch of it's surface.

"Do you like it...?" This question came coolly whispered to disperse Tohru's attention as she met dark orbs, her eyes alight with innocent jubilation. "It's been in my family for a very long time. An heirloom that's passed down through the family name."

"I can't accept this!" Tohru gave a small squeak of protest at learning of the ring's importance.

"Think of it as a gift to my God Child." Akito murmured lowly, his gaze intensely penetrating as he spoke. "Please." This request came in the breath of a whisper. "Yuki was the closest thing to family that I had." Akito spoke, his words smooth and measured in their delivery. "You and this child..." That penetrating gaze not having missed the automatic response to these words as Tohru's free hand once again drifted towards her growing abdomen. "You're the only _real_ family that I have left." A small sigh pushed through his nose in contemplation of his next words. "The truth is..." Akito murmured, his voice slow and paced as he spoke. "I really don't have anyone else to pass this along to. And...it would mean a great deal to me if my family tradition lived on through you and your child."

Silence enveloped and tenderly wrapped itself around this moment as Tohru gave consideration to this request. This gift. As her azure gaze floated to the ring in her hand once more, she felt that same strange magnetic pull. A yearning, almost. And it was then...at her table kitchen...that she suddenly noticed just how closely the two of them had been drawn together. How much she had come to rely on his constant, yet somehow unobtrusive company. It had happened so quietly, that she hadn't really given it much thought.

...until today...

Her tentative gaze drifted back to the man stooped in front of her. Noticing her...finally noticing him. And Tohru wondered to herself when exactly _that_ had happened.

Had he always been there? Waiting. For her to notice him?

And the _strangest_ thing...was that this didn't feel strange at all.

The link between them had developed so naturally. A bond that had forged from the fires of such an unimaginable tragedy that constantly left her in the the rubble of her grief and sorrow. Sorrow...that seemed to lessen whenever she was with him. The gaping whole in her heart made just a little smaller each time he came around to see her. And Tohru found it just a bit easier to smile...breath...and move forward with her life when he was near.

When had _that_ happened?

"Tohru?" Dark onyx orbs held her gaze, her name coming whispered along his lips as Akito patiently waited for her answer.

"Are you sure?" Tohru whispered back, their bodies having drifted so close together despite the stiflingly putrid smell. "I mean... You might have a wife...and a child of your own to give this to one day." And a faint smile lifted the man's lips at this statement.

"Honestly? I kind of like being a bachelor." Akito murmured. "It seems to suit me." And a light, airy giggle softly manifested from Tohru before it faded into quiet. "So...?" He questioned once more. "What do you say?"

"Of course I'll keep it." Tohru smiled through this concession. "Thank you." With this acceptance Akito gently worked her fingers around the ring with his own, encroaching the small space between them to place a quick, courteously unimposing kiss along her cheek before standing himself from his crouched position.

"I have to get going." This statement fell almost apologetic from his lips as he gathered up his officer's hat from the dining table, slender fingers running themselves through his raven hair to push it from his eyes as the cap was placed on his head.

And in that very moment, as Tohru gazed upon him from her seat, her heart ached and her breath was stolen away in unbearable anguish. Because...in that moment...he looked _so_ much like her husband.

"Akito?" His name came soft along her lips, drawing his gaze to her.

"Hm?"

"I invited an old friend of mine over for dinner tonight. Saki Hanajima." Tohru murmured, lifting herself up from her seat at the table to see Akito to the door. "I was wondering if you would like to come over when you're off and meet her?"

"Playing matchmaker, are we?" Akito asked coolly as the makings of a sheepish smile played along Tohru's lips at having been found out.

"I'm not willing to give up on you just yet, Akito." Tohru giggled tenderly, a warm, happy smile spreading along her lips.

"Well... I would never say no to your cooking." Akito confessed as he moved himself through the threshold of the front door.

"Great!" Tohru chirped in joyful victory as Akito stepped from the front porch toward his vehicle. "See you tonight, then!" She called with the wave of her hand that was returned with the simple, silent raise of a salute in farewell. "...be safe..." This whispered prayer trailed along the wind that tousled her auburn hair as she watched him finally pull away.

As the car drifted to a slow crawl, and finally stopped, a long...arduous...sigh pushed itself through Akito's nose. Parked along one of the many abandoned buildings of this decrepit, rundown industrial neighborhood, he took a silent moment before finally turning off the engine. Removing his cap to place it in the empty passenger's seat, Akito ran his fingers through his hair once more, tousling it into a tantalizingly attractive mess before finally exiting the vehicle.

The resounding tap of his shoes along the pavement echoed unnervingly along the walls of the surrounding, empty warehouse buildings. The only sound in this place of silence, death, and decay. And a small, twisted grin played along his lips as his approach drew the attention of the man waiting for him.

"You're early..." He murmured. "I must have left quite an impression at our last meeting." And at these words the man scowled at him in contempt, causing a light string of laughter to pull itself from his lips.

"I'm in no mood for your games today." The man rumbled out through his thick throat, his tone angry and laced in frustration.

"What's the matter?" Akito's words came playfully patronizing towards the man's irritation. "Still don't trust me, Sota?"

"No." The man conceded, pursing his paunchy lips grotesquely towards this question.

"Good."

"If you don't mind, I want to get this over with as quickly as possible." And a stiff, silent nod of agreement met this statement in response.

"Did you come alone?" Akito asked, his tone cool and lacking in any amount of warmth or amusement.

"Of course." The man rumbled through his girth.

"And you have it with you?" Akito's voice drew low, his dark gaze penetrating as he stared the mob boss down.

"In the car." He answered with the nod of his head, and the two began to make their way towards Sota's vehicle in silence.

Their wordless approach to the black Mercedes-Benz S-Class was filled with tension and the sound of their tandem steps. The man trudged forward as they came upon the vehicle, opening the trunk of the car as his pudgy, sausage like fingers grasped an object covered and obscured by cloth. Handing it to Akito, Sota watched as slender fingertips went about their graceful dance of delicately undressing the object. Dark onyx orbs danced with an even darker delight, those thin fingers slowly tracing themselves across the ancient artifact, gently exploring the metallic surface as they ran themselves along the engraved inscriptions of the fractured tablet piece. Pale lips drew in an almost erotic breath in response to the tactile sensation, thick lashes fluttering before that dark gaze drifted towards the heavy-set man holding vigil to this display.

"And you're absolutely certain that this is the last piece?" Akito questioned, causing another scowl to fold and wrinkle the girth of Sota's bloated face.

"I doubt it would be in my best interest to lie to you." Sota responded sourly.

"No." Akito murmured this concession with a small smile. "It wouldn't. But I find your kind to be naturally prone to dishonesty, Sota."

"Well, I'm telling the truth." Sota retorted haughtily. "This is the last piece that you've been looking for." And the small smile lingering along Akito's lips grew infinitesimally.

"Is it, now..." Akito mused to himself, his gaze drifting back to the artifact in his hand as the man gave a silent nod. "Good." He practically purred, still so absorbed with the ancient fragment in his hand.

"One more thing, Sota." Akito murmured lowly, dispersing the oppressive silence. "And believe me...I'll know if you're not telling the truth because I can smell your stinking sweat when you lie to me." And the man bit his tongue against this insult as Akito continued. "Are you armed?"

"What...?" Sota stammered, completely befuddled and taken aback by the question.

"Are you armed?" This came slower, more deliberate as the man considered how he should respond before a sigh of misgiving pushed itself through his flared nostrils.

"Yes." He murmured honestly as that lingering smile along Akito's lips twisted diabolically.

"Excellent." And a single gunshot rent the air with such violent force that was immediately consumed and swallowed up by the deafening silence that followed.

Without even looking at the man, his attention still so completely absorbed by the artifact, Akito had swiftly grasped for his sidearm with a single movement so unnaturally fluid and fast as his arm was thrown extended, gun pointed at the head of Sota Kishimoto as the overweight mob boss fell to the ground.

"You saved me the terrible inconvenience of having to plant a gun on you..." Akito murmured to the corpse.

Finally turning his gaze to the bloated corpse splayed on the ground, Akito's smile became completely twisted and malicious as he spoke.

"Sota...you fool." He almost chuckled with gleeful amusement. "I _warned_ you that you would never see this coming..." The smile along Akito's lips widened towards his treachery before the very real manifestation of laughter shook the air.

Akito's lithe, slender figure stiffened with the sound alerting him that he was not alone as dark onyx eyes lifted themselves from the dead body. The malicious smile that had lingered along his lips was now swept away and replaced by a taught line of discontent towards the equally dark smile reflected back to him by his unexpected audience. The man's body was thin and decrepit, a receding hairline with sunken cheeks and dark lifeless eyes. A long, dark trench coat loosely draped itself over him as if it were hung on a clothing rack.

But that smile...

A sigh of discontent pushed itself from Akito's delicate nose in consideration of how best to neutralize this unexpected turn of events before his lips formed dark words of warning.

"We seem to have ourselves a bit of a problem." Akito murmured seriously to the stranger.

"Do we?" He cackled out, displaying teeth in various states of decay.

"Depending on how much you know..." Akito quipped coolly, his fingers twitching along the trigger of his resting sidearm.

"Know about the _situation_...?" The man laughed through his decrepit smile, those sunken eyes flitting from the corpse on the ground to Akito's unamused expression. "Or...about _you_?" And the briefest flicker of bemusement clouded Akito's eyes as he considered this for a moment. "Because the situation looks pretty clear to me." The stranger offered with a toothy grin. "But _you_ on the other hand..." His grin widened as he continued. "You aren't exactly who you seem to be...are you."

"Tell me what you know..." Akito murmured lowly to the man as he casually sidestepped the dead body in a slow, graceful stride towards his next victim. "...and I _might_ let you live."

"As a witness to a homicide?" The man barked a throaty laugh. "I seriously doubt that." With this Akito extended the gun in his hand with graceful, fluid movements, pointing it menacingly at the dark stranger as his expression remained placid and void of emotion.

"You make a valid point." Akito murmured coolly, his weapon trained on the man before him. "So...I guess there's really no point in postponing the inevitable." This cold threat left the man completely unperturbed as it fell from Akito's lips.

"That would be _such_ a shame." The stranger exclaimed with a small snicker of amusement in the face of his certain demise. "Because I've been waiting such a very..._very_...long time for you."

"Have you, now..." Akito deadpanned, his expression one of cold indifference...his gun aimed directly at the man's head.

"From the moment I saw you...I knew." The man murmured, his sunken features coming strangely placid. "I knew exactly who you are." His tone came calm in the face of Akito's stealthy...armed approach. "Who you _really_ are."

"Is. That. So." Akito muttered darkly, finally pressing the point of his weapon to the man's forehead. "And who exactly is it that you think I am, hm?" The two stared each other down in a moment of weighted silence.

"Death." The man murmured lightly, still so unfettered by his situation as the smallest twitch of a smirk graced Akito's lips. "Chaos." He continued. "Wrath." This litany poured forth from his lips as Akito listened, poised to deliver a swift execution. "The rider of the pale green horse. The Fallen One." The stranger's words pushed through the silence, coming unchallenged. "You've been given so many names..." He whispered, his gaze undaunted as he spoke. "...isn't that right, Sathanus?"

In movements so breathtakingly fast the man was left completely stunned as Akito truck him along the head with his gun before the slender fingers of his free hand came wrapped aggressively around the man's neck. Lifted suspended from the ground by several inches in a show of inhuman strength, the man began to laugh before the fingers tightened their hold around his airway.

"Filthy _dog_ of Providence..." Akito hissed out this insult through lips twisted in anger as his onyx gaze burned in fury towards the dark stranger in his grasp. "Where is your partner?!" He snarled out. "I know you wretched beasts work in pairs! Where are they?!" This accusation came almost shouted in the man's face.

"I came alone." The man croaked out feebly.

"You lie!" Akito screamed, tightening his vice-like grip around the man's throat.

"I came..." The man wheezed in his breathlessness as lashes fluttered against the threat of unconsciousness. "...because I wanted to _help_ you." And with this the stranger's body was sent flailing into movement as Akito hurled him to the ground several paces away.

"If you truly know who I am..." Akito hissed darkly as he stalked towards the motionless body. "...then you know that I don't require your help." He crouched to the man splayed on the ground as their gaze met once more. "And I assume you also know that it would be exceptionally easy for me to deliver your stinking soul to the world of the damned."

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." The stranger murmured from his place on the ground, a playfully wry smile playing along his lips as he spoke.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't destroy you." Akito's words came lowly whispered as he stared the man down with that dark, penetrating gaze.

"Because..." The man pushed himself from his back to a sitting position as he met this challenge head on. "I know something that you don't."

"And what would that be?" This question came slow along Akito's lips as the man offered him another toothy grin.

"That fragment you have there isn't the last piece you've been looking for." The man spoke confidently as he watched Akito absorb this information. "There's one more...and I know where it is."

"Then you'll tell me where to find it before I send you to Hell." Akito whispered this threat, and the dark stranger began to laugh.

"I'll do better." The man countered. "I'll take you right to it." And he reveled in the brief moment of confusion that played along Akito's face.

"Why would you do that?" Akito questioned in disbelief towards this man's offer.

"I already told you..." The man responded through another playful smile. "I've waited a long time for you. And I came here to help. Trust me, you'll need it." The man's stare came intense on the heels of these words. "If _I _was able to find you...it will only be a matter of time before the others come looking for you too."

"How exactly _did_ you find me, anyway...?" Akito asked with a growing level of curiosity at this man's statement as he remained stooped on his haunches.

"Well...you've been causing a bit of a scene lately, haven't you...?" The man murmured thoughtfully before that playful smile grew just a bit sinister. "That..." He leaned himself in, encroaching Akito's personal space as he whispered in his ear. "...and your smell gives you away." And he let out another string of laughter as Akito pulled away to glare at him. "How long _have_ you been squatting in this rotting corpse, anyway?" The man barked a laugh as he wrinkled his nose towards the stench of putrid cinnamon. "Too long, if you ask me."

Akito finally stood himself from his stance along the ground, watching as the dark stranger slowly did the same. As the man brushed himself off the two exchanged glances in a fleeting moment of silence before Akito parted his lips and spoke in cool monotone.

"That's about to change."

* * *

**A/N: There...are just so many things to apologize for. Like...this chapter. And how it took over two months to turn out. And I know that I have sworn to stop apologizing, and have recently resorted to blaming others for the lateness of my chapters. But...wow. I'm so sorry. SORRY FANDOM ANGST! For being such a turtle with this story, as it is your birthday gift. Who knows. At this rate it may take all year and will be done by the time you celebrate your next birthday. And...I'm REALLY sorry about blaming you last time. Sort of.**

**And now a special thank you to those of you still reading and reviewing this story! It means the world to me! And a Happy and most blessedly prosperous New Year to you all!**

**Interesting side note...I did NOT make Sathanus up. True story. Look him up.**

**Finally...one of my good friends, SweetLiars, recently told me that I reminded them of "Cleo" from "Monster High." So...with that randomness in mind, in the immortal words of "Cleo" from "Monster High"...I present you this chapter...because... "I'm Lady Angst, and I've got to give the people what they want."**


	13. Trojan Horse

**A/N: For a moment. A single moment. I thought about not including an author's note. I really couldn't find the words to express my apologies for the lateness of this update. I looked back, and if I'm not mistaken it was a little over three months.**

**But no matter the lateness of the updates, I promise never to give up on this story. I will see this to the end, and am so beyond grateful to those of you who have supported me thus far in this adventure! And with that, I give you 'The (not so) Punctual Update' of 'The (not so) Grateful Departed'. Enjoy!**

**And special thanks to the following supporters/reviewers. You guys are beyond awesome.**

**SweetLiars**

**Fandom Angst**

**TohruKyoYuki**

**BrokenButFriends**

* * *

Soft, warm brown eyes observed the buzz of commotion unfolding around the spectator as ravenous souls ran to and fro, ready for war.

_'I came... Because I wanted to **help** you'_

Friends. Comrades. Attack dogs of Providence. Soul Hounds. The damned...spared from Hell's unrelenting inferno for the single purpose of completely obliterating evil with evil from the world of the living.

_'If you truly know who I am...then you know that I don't require your help.'_

_'And I assume you also know that it would be exceptionally easy for me to deliver your stinking soul to the world of the damned.'_

A full scale war _was_ coming, that undeniable fact was certain. _Everyone_ sensed it. Smelled it. Felt it in the air as they rushed to ready themselves for battle.

_'I wouldn't do that if I were you.'_

_'Because I know something that you don't.'_

_'That fragment you have there **isn't** the last piece you've been looking for.'_

_'There's one more...and **I** know where it is.'_

_'...I'll take you right to it...'_

But only _he_ knew of their unnamed opponent.

_'Why would you do that?'_

Only _he_ was aware of what was _really_ coming for them.

_'I already told you... I've waited a long time for you. And I came here to help.'_

_'Trust me, you'll need it.'_

_'If **I** was able to find you...it will only be a matter of time before the others come looking for you too.'_

And he fully intended to be an active participant in this grand show of destruction.

_'If you **really** want that final fragment, you'll need to trust me and do as I say.'_

_'I'll have to send a team to collect you. It's important that you** don't** resist.'_

_'If you go with them willingly, I **promise** that they'll take you right to it.'_

_'And I'll be on the other side, waiting for you.'_

All he needed to do now was find the appropriate recipient of this Trojan horse. Whom best to walk the enemy through these gates? To do this himself would carry too great a risk. He needed this plan to work. And in order for this to work...he needed to choose carefully. To make a mistake now would throw the entire plan into jeopardy. He had waited too long for this moment for anything other than complete success.

He needed this plan to work.

The calm, placid expression shaping his features held a warm, burnished gaze that drifted along the endless sea of faces. Searching. Scheming. Plotting until he had found _exactly_ who he was looking for.

"Oh, Probie!" This irritatingly high trill came comically drawn out over a cheeky grin as it gained a scowl and the attention of the newest recruit and his most unfortunate partner, Shigure ushering the two over to his desk with that smile and the wave of his hand.

"What in the hell do _you_ want, mutt face?" Kyo spat harshly, crossing his arms along his chest as his expression crumpled into an irritated scowl towards the man's intentions.

"Nice to see you too, Kyo." Shigure's smile grew and spread into a wide, humorously impish grin of deflection.

"What is it, Shigure...?" This soft lilt of trepidation drew Shigure's warm gaze as his sardonic grin faded to a more courteous smile towards the little Soul Hound in training.

...so unsuspecting it was almost laughable...

"That artifact I found still holding your curiosity?" He asked, his tone strangely professional as he watched the young man turn guarded as he determined how much to give away.

This simply wouldn't do.

Isuzu must have said something to him to cause the young man to shy away now. She had never trusted Shigure. And that was fine. He'd never had need for her _to_ trust. But the new recruit. _He_ was different. Shigure needed him. The kid was a crucial part of this plan, and...by default...so was his partner. They were the ones to lead the devil through these doors. No one else would do, so he needed to go about this carefully. He needed the new recruit to trust him...if only a little. Just enough to let his curiosity and drive take over.

"Well?" Shigure's tone grew just a little lower and more serious with the slightest raise of his eyebrow to Yuki's silence.

"Why?" Yuki murmured cautiously as his new partner silently scowled at the man behind the desk.

"I got a pretty solid lead that another piece showed up in the Kyoto police district." Shigure responded, his tone now completely serious as he continued. "I can't investigate it myself because Uo just assigned Hatori and I to follow up with Hatsuharu and Isuzu in order to address the rise in demonic activity." And he watched as Yuki's expression finally gave way to interest.

...perfect...

"I thought that you might want to check it out personally." He gently persisted, coaxing and enticing the kid into responding before amethyst eyes deviated from his face to the man standing to the side of Yuki.

"Aw hell!" Kyo spat as Yuki stared silently at him for a moment, his own expression one of blank stone towards his new partner's agitation. "Not this stupid thing again?!" Kyo almost whined as Yuki continued to hold his partner's petulant glare before his amethyst gaze drifted back to Shigure.

"Of course we'll check it out..." Yuki murmured softly, intentionally involved his new partner as the man beside him gave a sharp hiss of a curse in displeasure. "Thank you, Shigure." He offered lightly with the small, curt nod of his head before turning away as Kyo angrily followed.

"Anytime..." Shigure lilted quietly to the retreating form. "...anytime..." The smile along his lips spreading and twisting maliciously with this victory.

As the two made their way through the bustling crowd of souls, moving in between the rows of desks in order to avoid collision, Yuki fell deep in contemplation. Another piece of the puzzle had turned up. In Kyoto of all places. And he knew. He _knew_ it simply _couldn't_ be coincidence. _Not_ this. The whole of it seemed too elaborately designed. The broken fragment but a small piece of a far grander, more elusive master plan. But...a plan for _what_?

Again, he felt that same burning hunger for answers. The same ravenous drive that had all but consumed him in life as it led him down the road to ruin.

And...he knew...

Could feel it...with every _fiber_ of his damned and wretched soul.

He knew.

"Akito's behind this..."

The sensation of a hand roughly claiming his shoulder to halt his stride finally brought Yuki back to awareness of his partner.

"I don't think so." Kyo growled, meeting a slightly startled stare before Yuki's expression furrowed in agitation as he jerked his shoulder free from Kyo's grasp.

"What?!" Yuki snapped, the scowl along his face deepening under the weight of his new partner's infuriating behavior.

"We're _not_ doing this again." Kyo quipped, his words coming as stern as his expression. "I'm _not_ sticking _my_ ass on the line for you again just for some pointless vendetta against that bastard."

In that moment, Yuki found it difficult to restrain himself from violence towards his new partner. This was _so_ much bigger than some petty need for vengeance. So far beyond his personal desire and outcry for some semblance of justice. And Yuki didn't understand why his partner couldn't see this. Why he refused to even acknowledge that something very _bad_ was about to happen.

Couldn't he feel it?

Yuki wasn't foolish enough to risk _everything_ for some 'pointless vendetta'...

"I'm not _asking_ you to compromise yourself for me." Yuki quipped harshly, his tone frigid and bitter cold as he held his partner's petulant stare.

"No." Kyo retorted, his words carrying the heat of his quick temper. "You're not." The stern expression along his face tugging and warring against the underlying current of rage and frustration. "You just do as you _damn_ well please and _I_ end up having to step in and save your stupid ass."

"Why can't you just see that this is important!" Yuki practically screamed...right in his partner's face as he tightly clenched his fists.

"Why can't _you_ see that you're _too close_ to this!" Kyo snarled back, raising his own voice to shake the man into some form of rational thought as he thrust his finger into Yuki's face, his words forming into an aggressive hiss. "And you're going to screw it up!"

Silence fell over the moment as the two stared each other down, the only sound coming in short, agitated breaths through clenched jaws and flared nostrils. Neither one was willing to back down. Neither one...willing to bend to the other. To sacrifice the strength of their conviction. And as cold, amethyst eyes stared at the man before him, Yuki understood what he must do. There was no more room in his heart for love. Or trust. Or any of the old familiar words like loyalty, friend, and partner. All of those things had been irrevocably destroyed. Had died...when he did. Even if...by some miracle...he somehow _could_ manage to have it all back, he doubted now that he would even want it.

There was no more room left...

And...he understood what he had to do.

"I'm doing this..." Yuki murmured coldly, holding his new partner's gaze. "..._with_...or _without_ you." And he watched the man absorb the utter finality of this statement.

"So." Kyo muttered lowly. "That's it, then?" The stern expression shaping his features grew ever grim with his words. "That's how it's going to be? Just like that...?" He lulled through taught lips. "You're willing to throw everything away?"

"I don't have anything left to lose." Yuki retorted softly, casting his gaze to the floor.

"...fine..." This one word came so quietly whispered that, for a moment, Yuki was uncertain if he had even heard it until it was followed by words far colder and more harsh. "I'm requesting to be resigned to someone else. Do whatever the hell you want." Kyo murmured lowly, his tone flat as he glared at his partner. "I'm done trying to have your back." With this, Kyo began to turn away before he was completely halted in his steps.

"Tell me..." Yuki whispered, finally lifting his gaze from the floor as he spoke. "Look me straight in the eye...and _tell_ me to my face that you _can't_ feel that something's coming."

Kyo turned. Coming to meet these words in silence as that intense, all consuming amethyst gaze regarded him. Challenging him. Forcing him to reluctantly consider this fact as a disgruntled sigh pushed its way from his nose, separating itself from him in a huff of agitation.

"So what." This show of forced indifference followed on the heels of another irritated sigh. "What _if_ something's coming, hm?" Kyo questioned roughly. "Doesn't mean that your hunch is right." He muttered bitterly. "And it _certainly_ doesn't mean that bastard is involved, no matter _how_ badly you want to believe that." The folding of the arms along his chest came to strengthen Kyo's resolve as it was met with a stern glare and shake of the head.

"It's not a 'hunch'." Yuki quipped, biting back his rage towards this doubt as his voice only grew deeper and more fervent. "Akito's up to something... I _know_ it."

"So you think that these ancient fragments are somehow a part of this...?" Kyo murmured lightly, the stiff, self-assured nod of Yuki's head a silence response as his brows furrowed. "And...you're really willing to risk eternal damnation to find out what that bastard is planning?" He questioned with the dubious raise of an eyebrow as he felt himself begin to falter under the sheer confidence of this man's statement as Yuki offered yet another nod before speaking...his voice low and devastatingly grim.

"I am." This all-consuming, definitive statement came bold from lips held in a taught line. "Because if I sit here and do nothing..." Yuki whispered, the intensity of his gaze coming to match and deepen the intensity of his words as he spoke. "...I _will_ be damned." This fate came so forlorn through the lips of a man truly forsaken as Yuki looked away. "So maybe it's best if you ask for reassignment."

Because, in the end, Yuki knew that he would not..._could_ not...be deterred from this path. Slowly turning to walk away, Yuki chose to separate himself from _everything_ in pursuit of the truth. Truth was the only thing that mattered. The only thing he had left to fight for. He would never have justice. Would never have Tohru or the child they had made. Would never know peace or rest for his wicked soul.

...but...he would have this.

He would have truth. At any cost.

"...wait..." This request came so lowly murmured that Yuki barely registered it as he was leaving before a small sigh pushed through his nose towards this call.

"You can't stop me." Yuki whispered, unwilling to meet the man's gaze.

"I know." Kyo conceded to this as he slowly stalked over to where Yuki stood in silence. "I also know that you can't do this alone." Yuki turned towards the man to be met with the small smirk of a sardonic smile. "And I really don't feel like partnering up with someone who might end up being an even bigger pain in the ass than _you_ are." A small, helpless snort of a laugh met this snarky comment before it was quickly quelled into silence.

"I'll help you look into these ancient fragments." Kyo muttered reluctantly before that same rigid expression shaped his features. "But we do this _my_ way." This offer held no room for debate as he turned on his heels to walk away before glancing over his shoulder to spare Yuki another stern glower. "Well...what are you waiting for?" He grumbled as Yuki's expression shifted to a look of mild confusion. "Come on." A sardonic smile twitching at the corner of Kyo's lips as he finished. "Time to suit up."

The sound of footsteps came ravenously swallowed up and devoured by deafening applause and wild cheering. Shrill whistles followed congratulatory chants of his name as he entered the doors of the Kyoto police precinct, riding this wave of adoration on the confident stride of glorious victory until his pace was slowed to a halt by the Chief of Police himself.

"Chief Kobayashi." This greeting came cool and assured with a small bow of decorum.

"Officer Sohma." The man's wise gaze met dark onyx, his weathered expression shifting along the deep rumble of his words as the room stilled with a level of respect. "You have done the city of Kyoto and its prefecture a great service." Akito's features remained cool and strangely stoic as his superior continued to address him. "Neutralizing Mob Boss Kishimoto, and bravely leading the way to systematically dismantle the Yakuza crime syndicate..." The man murmured, slowly pacing himself with the significance of this moment as he held that deep onyx gaze, his own shining with a sense of pride in his officer. "I truly believe that...in _my_ own lifetime...we will _finally_ see the beginning of the end of organized crime." His weathered expression wavered along the subtle and unobtrusive emotions playing themselves along his aged features as he spoke. "Because of your tireless efforts, the blight and scourge of the Yakuza in _our_ city..._our_ prefecture...will soon be a thing of the past." The man straightened himself some as he gave a small side smile to the young officer before him. "Today, this great city recognizes your loyal service and dedication to its people, Officer Sohma." He murmured softly, the smile along his lips spreading as he continued. "Or should I say, Detective Sohma." And with this, the room erupted in wild applause and cheers as Akito gave another stoic bow to his superior.

"You do me too much honor, Kobayashi-san." Akito offered this humble response to the news of his promotion as the Cheif of Police gave a small chuckle and shake of the head.

"You've earned this." The man's voice rumbled lowly through the sounds of celebration, meeting Akito's stoic demeanor with a warm smile before quietly stepping closer to place his hand on the young man's shoulder as he murmured low enough for only Akito to hear. "It's a shame that your partner couldn't have been here to share this with you, Akito." He whispered lightly, offering a gentle, comforting squeeze to Akito's shoulder. "He..." The man faltered with his words for a moment...only a moment...before finding himself again as he spoke. "He would have been proud." And Akito took great effort to maintain hold of his calmer demeanor as he gave a simple, silent nod of the head before sensing the man's departure from his side.

Regaining himself, Akito's confident strut carried him through the office to the sound of thunderous applause and whistles. His cohorts emphatically celebrating his accomplishment. Yet, something along the undertow of this boisterous festivity pulled and gently tugged along his peripheral, gaining his attention. He could hear it. Clear as day. And he listened to it. The whispers, like waves from a current, rushing through him.

_Just look at him._

_Cocky Bastard._

These gentle waves lapped up and over him.

_Bet he's just as dirty as his partner._

_No way. Not a chance. You **heard **what his partner did, right?_

Whispers of quiet dissent continued from the few who held reservations against the favor and prestige Akito had just received from their department's superiors.

_Oshiro. Nishimura. Yoshida._

_Yeah? What about them?_

This silent chatter discreetly hushed itself as he began to stride by. Try as they may to quiet their bitter gossip, Akito could still hear them.

_His partner... **His** partner destroyed their lives. Others, too._

_That's just a rumor... Isn't it...?_

A laggard, drawn out sigh pushed itself through Akito's nose as he slowed his gate to a halt, still a distance away from the small gathering of resentful discontent. The infinitesimal droop of his head came swiftly followed by the stern manifestation of his voice. Loud enough for all to hear as his gaze avoided the small group of gossipers.

"Speak too loudly of the dead..." Akito deadpanned monotonously, his tone coming as frighteningly cold as the onyx gaze that drifted to confront the unsuspecting group. "...and they just might hear you." A maliciously twisted smile spread along his lips in response to the expressions of horrified befuddlement as to how he had overheard before Akito sauntered way, chuckling lightly to himself.

Making his way through the congratulatory whistles and cheers to his desk, Akito sat himself down to silently survey the goings-on of his surroundings. His deep onyx gaze drifting along the endless sea of faces he knew. People he cared little for. Until the sharp sound of stiletto heels viciously ravaging the floor below them caused his gaze to flit to this unexpectedly welcomed distraction.

The seductive sway of the hips. The way this woman held herself. The way her slender figure was dressed, a long trench jacket coming to veil a delicate top and short skirt. Deep auburn hair that softly swung in rhythm to her body.

...that body...

And he simply couldn't help the small, cockeyed smirk that laced his lips as he took in her approach with the high arch of his brow before the woman's hips claimed the seat placed along the other side of his desk. The two gazed at each other silently for a moment before the woman's lips were moved into a soft, feminine, sensuous smile.

"It took you long enough to come see me..." Akito murmured lowly, his husky tone causing the lightest flush of the woman's high cheekbones as the smile along her delicate lips grew upon itself.

"I'm sorry I kept you waiting." The soft lilt of her voice parted those delicate lips as she gazed at him through soft, doe lidded eyes. "But I simply _couldn't_ stay away forever." And the low, throaty chuckle that manifested only caused the blush along her cheeks to deepen.

"So how's your friend?" Akito questioned lowly, his dark gaze coming intensely penetrating as he visually ravaged the woman before him. "She still terrorizing mourners at the cemeteries?" And the smirk along his lips grew upon itself, becoming wry and just a bit playful towards the woman's response.

"I'm flattered that you remember me." The woman whispered, delicately sweeping a strand of hair behind her ear to reveal the supple flesh of her neck as she cast her gaze through thick lashes.

"You made an impression." Akito offered this up with another small chuckle that came swallowed up by the comfortable lull that followed before he spoke once more. "So what brings you here?"

"You..." The woman breathed, the word lingering along those lips as they turned in another soft smile. "I...never got the chance to thank you properly for your leniency with my friend." That warm brown gaze whispered in the silence between them through thick black lashes before her lips pursed in a seductive purr along the word that graced her lips. "...officer..." And she watched as that dark, penetrating gazed hungrily roamed over her body before he spoke through another sultry side smile.

"It's 'detective' now, actually." Akito murmured lightly, the smile along his lips growing a little more enticing along his words. "I was _just_ promoted." And this caused the lightest, airy, almost effeminate chimelike giggle to drift along the woman's delicate lips as Akito settled himself into his seat to regard the angel before him.

"So..." He murmured lowly, his voice growing just a bit deeper as he spoke. "...do you make a point of seducing _all_ law enforcement...?" The slight arch of his eyebrow came hopeful as he spoke. "...or is it just me...?"

"I've always liked detective stories." The woman murmured lightly, the soft lilt of her voice drawing attention to the attractive purse of her lips. "..._and _detectives..." This whispered clarification caused the slightest tug of Akito's own lips as small sigh of consideration pushed itself through his slender nose.

"It's the handcuffs, isn't it?" Akito question slightly through the pull of his smile and the blush along the woman's cheeks. "Ladies love the handcuffs." He offered with a small chortle and the shake of his head. "And the gun, too."

"Is there any way I could see them...detective?" Her slender body inclined towards the desk, the woman's voice coming alluringly seductive with an almost needy hunger that caused Akito to openly chuckle as his gaze drifted itself along her body.

"I suppose that my superior wouldn't mind letting me leave early today." He mused lightly along that ever present smirk of a smile. "To celebrate my promotion." This clarification came in a low murmur before Akito slowly stood from his desk, extending his hand to assist the woman to her feet. "Shall we?" And the woman gave an almost delicate lick of the lips before nodding her head in breathless concession, holding tightly to Akito's hand as she allowed herself to be led away by him.

Their stealthy, unobtrusive departure came noticed by some of the other officers, following good-natured wolf whistles and cat calls at Akito's expense. As the two moved in tandem, side by side, the various faces and noise of the crowd grew ever fainter. Through every twist and turn they took, he led her further away from any sign of life until there was nothing left but the sound of their footsteps. And his smell. The scent of putrid, rotting cinnamon.

Another turn down a darker corridor, and the sharp stutter of a gasp came drawn through lips as the woman found herself forcefully pinned to the wall. All she could hear was heavy weighted breath, bordering on moans. All she could smell was his stench. And her slender figure began to quiver and shake under the hands that had begun to grope themselves along her delicate frame. Underneath her trench coat as her own breathing hitched in her throat.

"I thought you wanted to go somewhere." The woman almost whimpered along the touches to her body, her voice quavering along stifled fear as she attempted to mask her apprehension.

"Mm-hm..." Came this low groan of concession in her ear as she continued to feel his hands along the curves of her body until they halted their exploration, having found exactly what they had been searching for as a low chuckle manifested darkly from Akito's lips.

"Clever little dog." This came forced in a low, hot malicious hiss in her ear as slender fingers grasped the otherworldly sidearm before violently smashing it into dust against the wall behind her.

"Now." Akito almost growled, painfully forcing her against the wall in a show of alarming strength, pinning her with a hand along her delicate throat as he held her stunned gaze. "Tell me..." His voice dropped deep as his onyx gaze burned with malicious intent. "...where is your partner... Soul Hound...?" This name came so hatefully spat with such venom and animosity from his lips as the hand gripping along the woman's throat squeezed further down on her fragile air pipe, causing her to sputter and choke under duress.

"Akito!"

His name came screamed in a high tenor as Akito's head quickly snapped to the side and away from the woman he held against the wall. And his dark onyx gaze met the same familiar face of the woman who had so brazenly assaulted him at his partner's funeral. Her voluptuous figure came covered in a strangely similar black trench coat, her features shaped in that same hateful expression. Aiming yet another strangely fashioned firearm directly at his head, her scrumptiously provocative lips came twisted into a vicious snarl as her enraged voice rent the all consuming silence.

"Let. Him. Go."


	14. Betrayal Is The Name Of A Friend

**A/N: I would be lying to you all if I didn't say that posting this chapter didn't make me very very nervous. It has been such a long time coming, and I'll admit I feel a bit rusty with this story. But...this story is still so close to my heart, so I hope that this chapter does the story and plot justice. I have big plans for this story, and I promise that I won't ever give up on it. Not until the proverbial fat lady sings.**

**Special thanks to MoonlitAtMidnight for giving me direction and some new writing techniques in order to wrangle this chapter. I am forever grateful to you.**

**Special thanks as well to SweetLiars, who's constant demand and threats for the continuation of this story spurred me into action. Though...when you threaten to duck tape me to a desk chair, I simply say to you 'don't threaten me with a good time.' (insert twisted smirk here).**

**Thank you all for continuing to support this story. You really are the best, and I wouldn't be doing this without you.**

**So, without further ado, enjoy this (not so) punctual update of The (not so) Grateful Departed.**

* * *

_'The saddest thing about betrayal is that it never comes from your enemies.'_

_-Unknown_

"Akito!" This shriek tore so violently through the air that the very walls trembled in fear of it.

Black onyx pools shot towards the terrifying scream of his name as Akito's once striking features contorted into a horrific expression of enraged surprise.

"Let. Him. Go."

And this momentary, fleeting distraction was all that it took. All that was needed...for Kyo to slip himself from the fingers wrapped around his throat as his knee violently collided between his assailant's legs. This assault to his attacker's groin elicited a sharp curse and agonized groan, dropping the man to his knees as Kyo forcefully backhanded the man as he sunk to the ground.

"_That's_ for feeling me up, you sick bastard!" Kyo snarled this as he gave the swift, vicious kick to his attacker's stomach, adding insult to injury as he drew forth another pained groan from Akito's lips.

Yuki stood slightly dumbfounded as he watched his new partner begin to harshly wrench Akito's arms unforgivingly behind his back to lace them in bondage with hand cuffs.

"And _you_!" Kyo turned his hateful gaze towards Yuki...that graceful, delicate womanly form of his still kneeling painfully dominant along his apprehended assailant. "I had this handled!" He snarled out. "I didn't need your help!" With this he stood from his perch along Akito's back and retched him up from the floor by his chained arms.

At this painful accusation to his interference, Yuki felt himself held helpless against the flames of rage and anger that burned themselves along the words of his new partner.

"You _didn't_ need my help? _Really_?!" Yuki's effeminate tenor came laced in the bile of black bitterness as Kyo approached with the man bound in cuffs. "I must have missed that when I came across you being strangled to death!" Kyo jerked the arm of his assailant as his enraged stare held Yuki's petulant gaze.

"You _dumbass_!" This came spat from scrumptious lips. "_You_ gave away your position and completely _ruined_ our cover!" Kyo almost shrieked in a shrill, feminine trill from those seductive lips. "And now! Because of _you_! We have to get the hell out of here before someone sees the two of us hauling this bastard away!"

The two stared each other down in this all-consuming silence, their bound captive standing in a relative stupor from the abuse he had received as the quiet came horridly marred by weighted breath. The fact that his new partner had so humiliatingly chastised him for his intervention left Yuki speechless. Speechless...and beyond angry. He was livid. And the erratic pounding of his heart came heavy in his ears before another sound all together gained his attention.

Approaching footsteps.

"We need to go." Kyo hissed lowly through the strain of taut lips. "Now." And Yuki gave a reluctant nod to this unspoken ceasefire as they made a swift, stealthy departure out of the police station with Akito in tow.

Stepping into the light of another day's end, Yuki felt strange stirrings within him. Adrenaline laced in nostalgia coursed through the veins of a body that wasn't quite his. But was. Had been made so by the violent act of his death. But the lungs ravenously drawing breath as he made his way towards the dilapidated vehicle felt like his own. The heart pounding in his chest in response to this rush was his. Armed and having assisted in the rough apprehension of a suspect that they quickly whisked away in a cloak-and-dagger display felt so familiar to this unfamiliar body of his. It felt like home. And there was that word again.

Home.

And it tore him apart with fresh pain and enraged anguish he thought he was done experiencing.

Finally reaching the decrepit, slummy white Mitsubishi Lancer, Yuki heard the unsettling, almost angering sound of a familiar, dark lull.

"_This_ is the piece of shit they gave you to come and get me?" The familiar voice of his old partner came sardonic in its amused mocking of this underwhelming getaway vehicle.

But before Yuki could make the slightest retort or comeback to this insulting remark, the sound of Akito's voice was swallowed up and silenced through a terrifyingly startling thud as Kyo gripped the man's obsidian hair and violently slammed Akito's head against the hood of the car. Yuki was left speechless at having witnessed the poor vehicle unsuspectingly and somewhat viciously violated by his old partner's head as it painfully ricocheted and bounced off the Mitsubishi Lancer before harsh words rent the air in a feminine trill.

"_That's_ for insulting my car!" Kyo snapped from behind the man he pinned helplessly against the vehicle before he suddenly and quite unexpectedly snatched the unworldly firearm from Yuki's grasp, pressing it to the side of Akito's head. "Two for two, you bastard..." He hissed this in Akito's ear as he fought against the urge to wretch over this man's putrid smell. "One more word out of you." The gun pressed itself threateningly to heighten the seriousness of this warning. "So help me, I'll blow your head off without a second thought." The breath came ragged from Akito's lungs as Kyo muttered aggressively with the nudge of the stolen firearm to Akito's pained head. "Do we have an understanding?" And Akito said nothing further in his own defense in response and acquiesce to this demand for silence as he was forcefully shoved into the back of the vehicle before Kyo slammed the door shut.

"Get in the car." He muttered flatly to Yuki who still gawked in relative surprise before he too ducked into the car, leaving Yuki to stalk towards the passenger side door in silence.

This wasn't at all what Yuki had expected when his new partner had agreed to helping him find out what Akito was planning. Not that Yuki saw himself responding any differently to the given situation. But he would have been lying to himself if he said that violently apprehending Akito hadn't somehow affected him on a certain level.

Akito.

Akito...who had been his partner.

Akito...who had been his friend and confidant.

Akito...who had become like his brother.

Akito...who had agreed to being the God Father of his unborn child, a promise to step up in his place if something...

...if something should ever happen to him...

And Yuki would have been lying to himself by saying that being this close to him now didn't make him feel _something_ as old memories surfaced of their own accord. As he slipped his feminine frame into the passenger's seat, Yuki found himself in a dangerous limbo of past and present with no hope for a future.

"We need to talk." Kyo spoke tautly, the ominous tone of his voice gaining Yuki's attention as the car discreetly pulled away. "Because the way I see it, this situation just went from bad to worse, and _you_ have some explaining to do." At this, Yuki's expression furrowed in baffled vexation as he turned towards his new partner.

"What do you mean?" He quipped sharply towards this subtle inference that this apprehension gone awry was somehow his fault.

"I think you know _exactly_ what I mean." Kyo murmured lowly, keeping his gaze forward as he drove, feeling Yuki's hateful stare upon him as he continued. "You're the one who kept insisting that this bastard was up to something." He muttered in that effeminate voice. "_You're_ the one who said that something bad was about to happen, and that he was somehow involved." These accusations continued to spill from delicate lips as Kyo persisted. **"**_**You're**_ the one that said all of this was somehow tied to that _stupid_ artifact, and _you_ just wouldn't let it go. Not until we did something about it." His words came emphatic and laced in a level of anger towards Yuki. "Lo and behold..." Kyo's voice grew dramatic and increasingly hostile as fingers tightly gripped the steering wheel. "...when we go to look into this guy, not only does he know exactly who I am, but he was practically waiting for me!" He spat these words before sparing Yuki a swift side glance. "Now how in the hell do you think he managed _that,_ hm?!" Yuki parted his lips, ready to defend himself against these unwarranted accusations until another voice all together manifested to disrupt this heated quarrel.

"Yuki..?!"

This low utterance caused an immediate and almost violent halt of the ensuing argument as Yuki turned in his seat. And the expression that shape itself along the features of his new face helplessly gave him away as deep onyx orbs stared back at him from a face far too painfully familiar. Lips twisted into a smirk Yuki had seen thousands of times before on an almost daily basis...

...when he had been alive...

"So..." This came lowly whispered from Akito's lips. "...it _is_ you..." He confirmed confidently from where he sat bound in the back seat of the vehicle, those obsidian pools holding Yuki's gaze. "And at the funeral, too." Akito murmured through that smug smirk along his lips as it twitched just a bit further along his strikingly handsome features. "No wonder you hit me then." And he watched as Yuki's exotic looks contorted into an ugly expression of uncontrollable rage.

Then, to add fuel to this Hell fire, Akito began to laugh. The sound came brutal and mocking as his whole body, bound and broken, shook with the force of his amusement over the irony of this strange turn of events.

"Damn, brother." Akito quipped through his laughter as he held the hateful look of his ex partner, that dark gaze openly leering at Yuki as it slowly roamed over the enticingly sumptuous, full figure of this new body with a level of lust. "Had I known death would look _this_ good on you..." Akito gave a small pause and cant of the head in consideration before continuing. "...I might have shot you in the face sooner." Yuki's lips curled in a horrific display of rage as his body was helplessly thrown into involuntary movement, lurching against the restraints of his seat belt before a hand forced him back against the dilapidated seat.

"Knock it off!" Kyo shouted from the driver's seat as Yuki was about to open his mouth in protest. "And _you_!" He snarled towards the prisoner in the back seat. "What did I just say about running your mouth?!" And another string of mocking laughter moved itself through Akito's body.

"What are _you_ going to do, _dog_?" He spat this insult from the back seat with lips twisted in a malicious smirk. "Torture me some more?" Akito scoffed, undeterred by Kyo's threats. "Please..." This came antagonistic and mocking as he chuckled. "I've been beaten before, and I have to say that your assault left me unimpressed." The grin along his lips grew smug as it spread along his features. "No offence, but you hit like a woman..." Silence followed Akito's jeering as Kyo took a brief moment to contemplate his options before regarding his captive in the rear view mirror with a strangely malevolent smirk of his own.

"Nah." Kyo murmured through delicate lips twisted in a diabolical smile. "I'm not going to beat your smarmy ass again." He quipped as Akito gave the small cant of his head to this.

"Really..?" Akito retorted darkly, his gaze narrowing along his captor.

"Nope." Kyo replied calmly with the small shake of his head as his gaze returned to the road before him. "But keep antagonizing him..." He gave a small nod to the body fuming in the passenger's seat. "...and I might just pull this car over." He murmured this ominously as his gaze met dark onyx orbs through the mirror once more. "Then I _might_ just give him back his gun and put him in the back with you...just to see what happens." Striking features grew taut under this threat as Akito's expression grew seriously grim.

"You can't do that." He lulled in confident smugness to the driver. "A dog of Providence wouldn't violate the rules of extradition." And Kyo gave a small shrug as his gaze turned forward.

"Well I've never been all that great at following the rules." Kyo conceded almost nonchalantly. "So the way I see it, you can keep running your mouth and take your chances..." He replied coolly. "...or you can shut the hell up." The smirk twitched further along enticing lips. "It's up to you." With that, the rest of the ride went in complete silence.

Silence that followed as they traveled between worlds, leaving the living behind with the one they had come for. From the look of surprise along his captives face at learning of his new partner's identity, Kyo no longer suspected that Yuki was a conspirator in this strange turn of events. But the fact remained that this man had been tipped off to their presence by _someone._ Someone from the inside. And he needed to find out who that was. Grasping his captive by the arm, forcefully leading Akito as Yuki traveled behind them several paces, Kyo pulled Akito to him muttering aggressively in his ear.

"You may have him fooled." Kyo murmured aggressively, indicating the man brooding behind them. "But I know you, demon." And Akito gave a dark, ominous chuckle to this. "What's so funny?!" This came a low, guttural hiss. "I want to know who told you about us?!" Yet another string of laughter parted thin lips in response to Kyo's hostile interrogation.

"If I were you..." this came whispered through those same smirking lips. "I would be more interested in your partner over there." Akito lulled in deflection as his dark gaze met Kyo. "Aren't you the _least_ bit curious about who you're working with, dog?"

"Nice try." Kyo quipped, tightening his grip along Akito's arm. "But I'm not falling for any of your tricks. Now who told you about us?" He repeated.

"Hm..." Akito gave a passive hum of consideration as another small, diabolical smile laced his lips. "I take it he hasn't really told you much about himself, then..." He whispered before raising his voice to gain the attention of the one trailing behind them. _"...have_ you, Yuki?"

Before either of them could respond to these cryptic words, Akito persisted as his intimately familiar voice carried itself to Yuki's horrified ear.

"Oshiro." This name came whispered, the slender fingers of Akito's bound hands beginning their tally for Yuki's watching gaze as another name followed. "Nishimura." Another finger curled to another fallen soul. "Yoshida." Akito breathed this particular name. "_His_ fate was particularly tragic. Fired from the police force when it was discovered he was under investigation. His wife left him shortly after that, taking their son. The poor man couldn't live with himself after that, and ended up hanging himself." This came with a small tisk and shake of Akito's head as he felt Yuki's horrified gaze upon him.

...Yuki hadn't known that had happened to Yoshida...

"Yuki here illegally spied on _all_ of them and more in an unauthorized private investigation into our task force. He turned on his own brothers." Akito murmured as Yuki's expression shifted from guilt and shame to one of enraged hatred.

"Akito!" This came as a pained shriek that was promptly ignored as Akito continued to speak with Kyo.

"You see..." Akito spoke passively to his captor. "Yuki didn't think that I knew what he was doing." This came a soft lilt to Kyo's listening ear. "But...when you work with someone long enough, you become very close and begin to notice when something's off." And his dark, penetrating gaze met Kyo's as he continued to play the two against each other.

"You see, Soul Hound." Akito lulled through lips still shaped in that same malicious little smile. "He's a vile betrayer." And the two found themselves stopped in their march as Kyo held that dark stare.

"Akito, _stop_ this!" Yuki snarled in outrage and protest as Kyo held out his free hand to silence his new partner, allowing Akito to continue.

"Think what you want of me, dog." Akito murmured coolly as the two stared each other down, Kyo's grip remaining on his bound arms. "But you should know that all of these lives were ruined because of him." That black onyx gaze came serious and pointed with his words. "_All_ of them. And more. Many more." He whispered this as Kyo's expression fell in contemplation.

"...is this true..?" This came laced in apprehension from Kyo's lips as he held Akito's gaze.

"...ask him yourself, Soul Hound." Akito murmured coolly in response. "Look at his face. Tell me what you see." Kyo's gaze slowly drifted from Akito's stoic expression to the one of complete horror shaping itself along Yuki's features.

"Is it true?" Kyo asked, his gaze fiercely intense as he stared Yuki down. "Did you really betray your own?" And the look that shaped Yuki's face was all the response he needed as Kyo sneered in absolute disgust.

"You dirty, treacherous _rat_!" This enraged accusation rent the air as Yuki absorbed the venom and disdain of these hateful words.

As the two were unsuspectingly propelled into a catastrophic argument, something even more insidious went completely amiss as another passed by this spectacle. In the mists of angry words and even angrier voices, a warm soft brown gaze met dark, black orbs.

And...in passing...knowing smiles were exchanged.


	15. Internal Affairs

**A/N: Wait! What is this?! Another update, you say? Well now, I welcome you all to a (not so) tarty update of The (not so) Grateful Departed. Enjoy!**

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_"_Fate___, it seems, ___is not without a sense of irony___."_

_Morpheus "The Matrix"_

"...is it true...?" That deep crimson gaze flitted from eyes of deep obsidian to liquid pools of amethyst.

He searched for the answer. Was it true? Had this man twisted the trust of those closest to him...only to turn traitor and betray them?

Kyo knew of trust and loyalty. These had been so deeply infused and ingrained in his soul. They had been so very precious to him. And when he himself had been betrayed and abandoned...locked away to die by the ones he had served. Had trusted. Kyo himself had felt the sting of betrayal. The destruction of trust.

Was it _true,_ though...? About Yuki... Searching his partner's face, Kyo bared witness to Yuki's expression as it gave way to the tell-tale shapings of guilt and shame. The silence that followed was as deafening as it was damning in it's implication. And the fact that this man had committed the very sin... The very _same_ one...

It left Kyo beside himself, sickened and disgusted.

"You dirty, treacherous _rat_!"

There was nothing but rage as his hold slipped and detached itself from his captives arm.

Thrown in a downward spiral of blinding emotions, he didn't notice that he had let go.

He didn't notice...that the prisoner had been freed from his grip and had begun slowly backing away from the growing confrontation.

He didn't notice, that Akito was no longer at his side as he continued to violently chastise the wretched betrayer before him as their heated argument began to draw a crowd of damned souls.

Through the growing sea of endless spectators, a slender figure bathed in gold tresses moved through the crowd in an attempt to discover the cause of this ruckus and put it to an end. Uotani could hear the familiar voice of Kyo as he rent the air with vicious accusations towards his partner. She gave an exasperated sigh, shaking her head in disbelief towards his aggressively childish and petulant nature before the whisper of a sigh manifested in a dark lull.

And this low whisper...it called her name, pulling her towards its sound like gravity.

"Arisa..." This name came so profoundly intimate in its utterance as Uo's gaze narrowed along the dark stranger slowly approaching her.

Like a predator on the hunt as pools of dark obsidian drank in the look of surprise from underneath the protection of her surgical mask.

"No one calls me that..." She whispered in a low hiss, her overly-tweezed brows forming in a small, perplexed scowl.

"No?" Akito breathed seductively through thin lips turned in a small, knowing smile as he continued his approach towards the baffled woman, arms still bound behind his back.

"Who the hell _are_ you?" Uo hissed, absorbing the closeness of this stranger as he pressed himself to her, coming chest to chest.

"Don't you know me, woman?" He smiled at her as his head dipped along her neck, brushing his nose along her skin in tender familiarity that left her frozen where she stood. "Have you truly forgotten?" Akito whispered along her pale flesh before cheek brushed cheek as he murmured lowly in Uo's ear, speaking words to her in an ancient Chinese dialect she had not heard spoken aloud in such a long time.

"_Our love will transcend through infinite realms where we meet over and over again_." Lashes fluttered against the sensation of a low whisper and warm breath along sensitive flesh as Uo absorbed this long forgotten promise. "_Come what may, I will always find you, Arisa._" And overly-tweezed brows furrowed further under the weight of this professed whisper.

"De-kun..?"

"So you _do_ remember." Akito chuckled lightly towards this intimate pet name as he took a step back from the baffled woman to drink in the expression shaping her veiled features.

"I remember you leaving me when I needed you." Uo retorted through the emotions ravaging her heart. "You broke your promise to me, Dequan." And that dark, penetrating gaze peering from a stranger's face regarded her for a moment as Akito's expression smoothed over.

"I suppose I did leave you." Akito conceded coolly to the woman's stifled anger towards him. "But as for my promise..." That neutral expression lifted with the small twitch of a seductive smile. "I'm here now, Arisa."

"Why?!" Uo snapped as she scowled underneath the protection of that surgical mask. "Why _now_?!" And the dark figure simply gave a small shrug.

"Though this isn't _exactly_ what I had meant back then..." Akito mused to himself as he spoke to her, a small, ironical smile lacing his lips. "...I suppose you can consider this the fulfillment of that promise." He murmured lowly through that attractive smile.

"How _dare_ you!" This enraged hiss came with the forceful shove to the man's chest in anger, but Akito remained unmoved by the woman's rage.

Unshed tears brimmed along her lashes as Uo shoved him again, her words coming weak and breathless as she fought against rage laced in grief and sorrow.

"How dare you, Dequan..." She whispered this as her pained gaze met that of stone. "You have no _idea_ how you destroyed me when you left." At this, Akito's stoic expression faltered a moment, betraying a level of feeling as he gave the small shake of his head, his voice manifesting but a whisper to her.

"You're wrong about that." Akito murmured, his dark gaze meeting Uo's fragile masked expression. "I know _exactly_ what it did to you when I left." He whispered this admittance to her with that strange expression shaping itself along his devastatingly handsome features.

He approached Uo from where he had been pushed away, broaching to close the space between them once more as he whispered lightly in her ear. And the sensation of warm breath along her pale flesh did nothing to curb the chill of his words to her.

"I felt your burning hatred for me as your soul was leaving your body..." He whispered this as a little smile laced lips that brushed against her ear. "...when you took your own life over me, you _silly_ woman..."

The slender, feminine form swiftly jerked away from the dark figure before a delicate hand violently lashed out to harshly strike Akito across the face. The sting of her assault caused his head to snap to the side before he was met with an even more violent and hostile curse.

"You son of a _bitch_!" Uo shrieked this in a pained voice loud enough to draw attention to herself and the spectacle she had just made as Akito loosed another string of laughter towards her rage.

"Technically I was never born, and therefore never had a mother." Akito quipped sardonically towards this insult. "But I suppose that term is relatively accurate." Lashes brimmed with the threat of tears as Uo raised her hand to strike him again.

But before the blow could be dealt Akito felt his body violently and painfully yanked back by his bound arm as the woman's assault was abruptly halted by an accusatory snarl.

"The hell you doing to the Yanki?!" Kyo snapped, aggressively gripping the man's arm as his crimson gaze met eyes of black coal.

"You stay out of this, Orange Top!" Uo screeched behind her mask and sting of tears, causing Kyo's expression furrowed into an angered scowl, his gaze meeting Akito once more.

"Looks like she doesn't want you getting involved, dog." Akito murmured passively with a quiet tisk, drawing Kyo's crimson gaze.

"What did you do to Uotani?" He hissed in a low growl, his words filled with malicious contempt as his grip tightened along Akito's bicep.

That deep obsidian gaze regarded Kyo's hateful expression in silence, eye flitting from the woman back to his captor as Akito bared him a sardonic smile.

"So I take it you two are together?" Akito questioned through that smirk as Kyo spared him a scornful look. "I take that as a yes." He chuckled as his dark gaze moved to Uo once more, his words following suit in addressing her. "It's nice to see that you moved on after me. Good for you, Arisa."

"What..?" This came a sharp, perplexed hiss from Kyo's lips as he glared the man down before horrified understanding washed over him, his mouth gaping open as he shot the woman in question an irked scowl. "This guy?!" He shouted at Uo, the tone of his voice raising an octave as his expression came equal parts confused and disgusted. "_Really_, Uotani? _This_ guy?!" His face dangerously shifted and warred between revulsion, pain, and rage. "He's a demon, Uo!"

"No, _really_?!" Uo snapped sarcastically. "I kind of figured that out for myself!"

"Why didn't you tell me?!" Kyo retorted angrily as Akito looked on in relative amusement, absorbing this growing dissent with a level of satisfaction.

"Oh yeah!" Uo spat as her expression contorted into a scowl underneath that mask of hers. "I can just see it now!" Her words came sharp with the sting of sardonic condescension as she persisted in a mock conversation. "'Oh...by the way...I use to date some guy who turned out to be the spawn of Satan'." This came aggressively hissed through veiled lips. "Because _that_ would have gone over _real_ well with you!" This caused Kyo's expression to falter.

She was deflecting. He could feel it.

And as she turned to leave, this suspicion was only confirmed. Unable to let this go, Kyo practically shoved Akito in a show of rough man-handling, right into the arms of his new partner who had been lingering along the sidelines of this growing spectacle.

"Watch him." This came a dangerously low utterance from his lips as he began to make movements toward the uncharacteristically distraught woman. "And don't kill him!" Kyo spat over his shoulder before quickening his pace to gain on the rebellious Yanki.

"Uo wait!" He shouted, chasing down the woman as the two found themselves separated and distanced from prying eyes.

Caging her against the wall with either hand pressed to its unforgiving surface, Kyo squeezed his eyes shut as a violent hiss loosed itself from his lips.

"Stop it!" Kyo growled as she made another feeble attempt to evade and free herself from him in order to keep fleeing. "Just..." He gasped as the sound of their panting came in tandem, breathing as one. "Stop."

The two stared each other down, glaring at each other. But the woman made no further attempt to move from where she had been pinned. Finding his voice and the breath to draw it forth, Kyo parted his lips in a lowly murmured whisper.

"Why..?" This came a desperate, angered hiss as his fierce crimson gaze met her face. "He's not _human_, Uo..." His body drifted closer to hers as she came rigid between the snare of his arms. "...why _him_..?" An almost pained breath passed through his lips as it caressed her blushed cheek, a breath soon followed by more words. "...what did he do to you..?" He breathed this question, her dark brown gaze meeting that of crimson.

"He made me a promise."

"A promise?" Kyo's features furrowed as he pondered these words. "What kind of promise?" He questioned through the breath of a whisper, wondering what type of declaration could hold such sway over this unshakable woman.

"He..." This came murmured through veiled lips. "...he promised to stay with me and love me forever..."

"What?"

"It was _such_ a long time ago." She whispered this. "Almost 1400 years..." The two held each others gaze. "And...he was different then." Uo's words came soft as she gazed into those of crimson fire. "_I_ was different back then. I was foolish and naive. And more than a little scared." Kyo watched as those dark brown eyes drifted through time and distance to a moment so far from here as she continued to speak in a hushed whisper.

"It was Autumn when he came to me, and cold." She breathed these words. "So very cold." Her dark eyes drifted listlessly as she spoke of these deeply buried memories. "Though I'm not sure of the exact date, I think it must have been close to 618 A.D." At this Kyo's eyes widened in surprise as he continued to listen to her words. "The small village I lived in came under Chinese occupation from those fleeing an ongoing outbreak of the plague." This came lowly murmured from lips he couldn't see as he watched her finally look away. "Things didn't turn violent with the occupation until they began instituting their religion of Buddism. They began by burning our Shinto shrines to cleanse us of the old religion. Then they set fire to my village." Kyo felt the infinitesimal trembling of Uo's body underneath the weight of these memories...horrified when she only continued, the worst having yet to come. "During the attack on my village I was assaulted by a Chinese soldier..." This came so lowly whispered that Kyo was barely able to make out the words that fell from her hidden lips. "He left me disfigured..." She uttered quietly, giving pause before faltering along words laced in so much pain as her dark brown gaze flitted up to Kyo's face. "...and pregnant..."

"I was unmarried and alone." Uo hissed weakly. "I had _no one_." These words ached in a pain she struggled to express. "I was so ashamed, and so alone. There were so many times I thought about killing myself. And I tried... I wanted so badly to die that I tried." She whispered somberly, her words as dark as her brown eyes. "That's when he found me. Near a river as I contemplated taking my life." Kyo fought against the jealousy warring with his compassion as he forced himself to continue listening.

Uotani had never spoken to him like this before.

Never.

And so he listened.

"He called himself Dequan Chen back then." Her voice quavered along this long forgotten name. "He saw me...and he took pity on me." Kyo found his arms drifting away from the wall in order to be closer to her as she continued her tale in hushed tones. "Dequan told me that he was a Chinese diplomat, sent with the occupation to escape the plague and establish diplomatic relations. At first he only took me into his care because of this. Because he wanted to make a small act of atonement for what had been done to my village. But as time went on and the baby inside of me grew...he made me a promise." Once again, Kyo bared witness to the threat of tears from a heart of stone as she gave another pause before continuing. "He..." She whispered so lightly as Kyo strained to hear her words. "...he promised to stay with me. To love me...and care for the unborn child as if it were his own. I believed him." This came in a pained and agonized ache as she squeezed her eyes shut, the back of her head making harsh contact with the wall in frustration. "I was _so_ happy, and I _believed_ him."

"But you know how it goes for us..." She breathed through the surgical mask. "Nothing good ever lasts." Uo's gaze met indomitable crimson as her words grew low and haunted. "That winter was more harsh than most. We struggled and suffered. But we were together. All three of us...until the child in my womb died." These words caused a wave of pain to ripple along her face which was reflected in Kyo's features for a fleeting moment of shared grief. "I miscarried and by Spring...he was gone." Anger and rage played along her veiled features as Kyo felt the heat of it wash over him, embracing it and taking it into himself for her.

"He left...and I knew then that he was never coming back for me." She looked away, unable to take the look shaping itself along Kyo's face. "The only thing he left me with was my wretched life. He left that for me to do with what I wanted...and out of grief and spite I threw that away." This came hissed in anger. "I threw my own life away..." Uo kept her face turned, hiding her expression as her words came laced in equal parts wrath and despair. "...because I didn't _want_ the only thing he had left me with."

Uotani's gaze shot up from the floor, her features in a constant flux of emotion as she met Kyo's pained crimson gaze. Her voice drew but a whisper as the two regarded each other under the crippling weight of what she had just told him.

"And I didn't want to tell you because I couldn't stand the thought of you seeing me as weak."

"Uo..." Her name came whispered from his lips as Kyo absorbed the gravity of what she had revealed. "I'm so-"

"Don't!" This came sharply hissed from behind her mask, cutting off his words as she placed the palm of her hand to lightly push him away. "Don't you dare." Her voice grew low in this chastisement of his consolation to her. "Don't you _dare_ say that you feel sorry for me." The two gazed at each other as time and space swirled around them in a dance where the present did not exist.

A place...where their future was so uncertain.

"End this." Cold words dispelled the quiet of this moment as Kyo's features shaped themselves into a taut expression over this order. "Do your job and find out why he's here...and what he wants." Kyo gave the small, silent nod of his head to this, the two drifting away from each other as his body came moved and swayed by her words.

Stalking through the deafening silence of winding corridors, Kyo was beside himself with what he had been told. Crushed...but what he now knew. Passing through to where he had left the prisoner with that filthy traitor, Kyo's gaze met eyes of warm brown shining through features shaped in a pleasantly impish grin.

"Congratulations on your capture, Kyo." Shigure trilled in his characteristically irksome cheerfulness as he passed by, earning a hateful glare from that fierce crimson gaze.

"Shut up, mutt face." Kyo growled in a low hiss, causing light airy laughter to bubble up from Shigure's lips before he disappeared into the shadows.

Making his way through the crowd of souls, Kyo's gaze fell along his new partner and the man they had apprehended. And he found himself hating them both.

"Hey! Traitor!" Kyo snapped to gain Yuki's attention as that forlorn amethyst gaze met crimson.

"Don't call me that." This came lowly murmured through taut lips and features shaped in anger.

"That's what you _are._" Kyo quipped coolly. "So that's what I'll call you."

"What do you want." Yuki retorted frostily.

"Take him to holding." Kyo murmured, his gaze shifting from Yuki, to the prisoner, back to his partner. "_I _have questions _he_ needs to answer."

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**A/N: So in the last chapter, I felt like I was jumping around character's points of view a bit. That being said, I tried to stick mostly to Kyo's perspective. Surprise surprise. SweetLiars...you can thank me now.**

**On another note, quite a bit of historical research went into this chapter. I found out that 618 was around Japan's Asuka period where Buddism was introduced by China. I also learned that...surprise surprise...the Plague of Justinian, part of the first plague outbreak in Europe, was around 514-750 A.D., and just so happened to fit in nicely with my timeline. When I looked it up, some sites said that the probable source of the outbreak was from China...but you know how online information goes. As far as violence between Buddism and Shintoism, your guess is as good as mine. Could have happened, could not have.**

**So with that, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and don't forget to review!**


	16. The Siege

**A/N: So...my apologies for the delay on this update. Also, I tried my best for editing, but if you guys notice any errors I apologize for that too. I have yet to rope in an editor willing to be abused.**

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"_Now he understood. This was death. Death was a silence that gave back no answer."_

_-__Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings 'The Yearling'_

Silence.

That's all he had been left with as Kyo shoved the betrayer in his arms. Both of them branded with the same, unforgivably deplorable sin. But Yuki did as he was told, gripping the bicep of Akito's bound arm as he directed them to where evil was held and detained. So into the darkness they went, as Yuki both pushed and dragged in equal measure. In silence.

Silence.

Not something he had expected from himself when presented with this strangely serendipitous moment...alone...with Akito... Because...there was so much he had wanted to say. So much...that he had wanted to scream to God, Providence, and the heavens above. So very much that he wanted to say..._needed_ to say...to the man next to him.

Akito.

His friend.

His partner.

His brother.

Yet the space between them was filled with this _awful_ silence. And he hated himself for it. Because it somehow felt like cowardice. What was it that caused him to hold his tongue? Now? When he was so close. Able to ask any and all of the questions that had crushed down around him when his life had been ended. Why was he now rendered speechless?

…why...?

As they moved in tandem further into the dark labyrinth, Yuki's senses were once again assaulted by the vile, wretched stink of burning flesh and rotting decay. The foul, rancid stench of demonic evil. The very smell of Death...like silence...consumed him all over again in odors and the lack of light and sound. And the horrid redolence of those lurking, held captive in the shadows by Providence, mingled and mixed with the more sickeningly familiar scent of Akito that Yuki knew all too well.

Putrid, stinking cinnamon.

Had he been looking. Had he only seen. Yuki might have noticed the small, knowing smirk of a smile shaping itself along the lips of his former partner. Counterpart. Friend. Brother. The only real family he had ever truly known. More blood to him than his own flesh. The only one he had trusted with his very life...save for Tohru. Had Yuki been aware, he might have seen this expression before the silence was effortlessly dispersed with the soft, deeply low lilt of an old, familiar voice.

"Yuki..." His name echoed strangely in the silence as an involuntary breath pulled through his nose, raw and jagged. "After all this time, I don't even get so much as a _'Hello. How have you been?'_?" Akito murmured lowly into this chasm that engulfed them both as Yuki's lashes fluttered in response to this playfully antagonistic question. "I'm fine, by the way." Akito continued musing to the silence as his voice came to fill the darkened corridors. "They even promoted me down at the department." A breathless chuckle passed Akito's lips towards this thought as he persisted in this one sided conversation. "Chief told me that you would have been proud." This came through now eerily audible, low laughter. "But I just didn't have the heart to tell him how wrong he was." Akito's bound and beaten body moved with laughter under Yuki's grasp as he felt his fingers reflexively tighten around the man's bicep. "It was all I could do not to laugh right in his face."

Yuki bit down on his lip to quell this all encompassing, consuming wildfire of rage. To give it an outlet of self induced pain instead as he squeezed his eyes shut against the maliciously jovial laughter swirling around him, deafening the otherwise silent halls. He didn't want to hear this. As much as he thought he had wanted this... Craved it... The desire to finally confront and face his executioner. His brother... Yuki found that being this close to what he _thought_ he had wanted left him so terrifyingly and frighteningly cold. And so very unsatisfied.

The space between them fell back into this insufferably stifling, weighted silence.

Silence.

That awful...damning...silence...

"So..." This came coolly whispered near his ear to disturb his thoughts once more. "...you really have _nothing_ to say to me, then...?" Yuki's brow furrowed underneath the weight of this softly spoken, inflammatory question.

"No." Yuki bit off the word curtly. "I don't." He tightened his grip along Akito's arm as he continued to propel them both into the growing darkness before coming to a screeching halt.

"Actually, yeah!" This came harshly snapped from taught lips as he yanked on the man's bound arm to stop Akito's forward momentum. "I _do_ have something to say to you!" Cold amethyst eyes laid waist to a dark pool of black obsidian as he watched the etchings of a sinister smirk form along the lips of his former partner.

"I'm listening..." Akito lulled in a patronizing tone feigning sincerity and interest as Yuki felt the impenetrable wall of silence once holding back his voice begin to finally crumble.

"I _trusted_ you." Yuki's voice rubbed like gravel along the inner workings of his throat in a pained hiss. "How could you turn on me like that?"

"Funny..." Akito murmured sardonically as he confidently held Yuki's hateful gaze. "You're still so angry at me...despite everything _you_ did..." A malicious little smirk laced thin lips as Akito chortled lightly. "...thinking that I never knew..." Yuki felt his features dangerously contort and tighten in anger. "...believing that you had kept me in the dark about your evil deeds and little side operations ..."

"But I was on _your_ side!" Yuki rent the air with a pained shrieked. "The _whole_ time, Akito...until..." His lip quivered along the bitter memory of Akito's betrayal as his voice hitched, begging to continue through the floodgates that had been opened. "After _everything_ we'd seen together!" These words came jagged along breathlessness as he held that dark foreboding gaze. "_Everything_ we'd been through!" Uncontrollable anger washed over him in waves as his grip tightened along Akito's arm. "Why?!" This came in a barely restrained, choked back snarl.

Yuki's rage finally crumbled and gave way to the underlying rippling waves of devastation. Pain and grief played themselves along Yuki's features before his voice manifested again in a weak, breathless murmur.

"Was _any_ of it real?" He breathed through the infinitesimal quiver of his lips as he held Akito's silent, unwavering stare.

"Do you really want the truth, Yuki...?" Akito asked, his tone having lost its snide, jeering demeanor.

"Don't you call me that..." Yuki hissed through the reignited flames of rage and the curl of his lip. "You're not even Akito!" He snarled accusingly, this fresh fact still reeling against the walls of his mind. "How long?" Yuki shouted, tugging on the man's arm. "How long did you string me along, letting me believe that _you_ were _him_!" His voice raised with his justified fury. "What did you do to Akito?!"

For the longest moment, Yuki's former partner held his tongue against these harsh accusations. Those dark malevolent orbs driving into the very heart of Yuki's festering rage as the silence became agonizingly intolerable before it was softly stirred with the deep murmur of his voice.

"Do you really want to know the truth...?" He asked again, his expression and tone showing no hint or trace of jest as he continued in the face of Yuki's silence.

"It's _always_ been me, Yuki." Akito murmured. "From the very beginning, brother." This came cool along his thin lips as he watched Yuki absorb these words. "...from the very moment we met...you knew me..." He held Yuki's gaze as his expression remained strangely stoic. "That's the truth."

"No!" Yuki protested angrily. "You lie!" These words were met with a small, sad, piteous little smile and the shake of Akito's head.

"You're partner..." Akito murmured in a dark, cool whisper. "...you're partner gave himself over to me long before you and I ever crossed paths."

"No!" Yuki continued this refusal, his eyes widened in disbelief at this creatures words.

"Akito Sohma is dead, Yuki." This came cruelly pointed like the sharp edge of a deathly dagger plunged into Yuki's heart. "And I took his place when I sent his soul to Hell." These words thew Yuki reeling into a dangerous downward spiral as Akito continued to muse, his tone having grown quite languid. "I did you a favor, brother. Believe me." Akito murmured smoothly with a slight smirk of smugness. "You really wouldn't have liked him."

"I trusted you with my _life_!" Yuki screamed against the torment and turmoil coursing through his veins. "With _everything_!" His voice rose through the deafening silence of the darkened corridors. "With Tohru..." His voice faltered along the name of his lover. "Our child..." Pale features rippled and quivered along the agony of this reality as he spoke. "I asked you to be my child's guardian!" To this, Akito's striking features shaped themselves into a coy expression of slight amusement.

"Well..." Akito murmured in a low drawl. "...as far as I know, that's still the plan."

It was uncontrollable. This fire that engulfed and consumed him. An unstoppable force that gained life and breath as his fingers found themselves clutched in a tight fist. Movement proceeded and overturned rational thought as Yuki's fist made swift and violent contact in a brutally unforgiving, savage upper thrust to Akito's unprotected and exposed abdomen. The man doubled over in pain, sputtering and choking along strangled gasps before these grotesque sounds were overtaken by another gasp all together.

"What do you think you're doing?!"

Yuki's head snapped wildly to the sound of this new voice as he allowed the prisoner to crumple to his knees. And amethyst eyes were met with a soft, warm brown gaze and a stern expression seeming so strangely out of place on the man who held it.

"Shigure...?" Yuki murmured, his mind still dangerously spinning and reeling from the aftermath of this fateful reunion.

"Look..." Shigure's tone reflected the stern expression of his face as he spoke, slowly approaching the scene from the shadowed corridors. "...I get that you're the new guy and all...but we _do_ have rules here." A slightly deprecating shake of the head slowly trailed these words followed by a soft snort. "...believe it or not." His once jovial nature warred with the more grim and somber personality he presented now, his soft brown gaze narrowing on Yuki.

"Are you serious?!" Yuki shouted, the scowl etched along his featured deepened with his dismay. "You're honestly trying to _protect_ him?!" His arm came helplessly flung from his side, a finger jutting accusingly to the man coiled in pain.

Shigure advanced further. Slowly. His movements silent and fluid as his gaze fell along the crumpled mass on the floor before flitting back to Yuki, a small...deprecating smirk beginning to play along his lips.

"Not exactly..." This came uttered with the soft shake of his head, reclaiming his somber expression as silence briefly enveloped the space around them save for the labored breathing of the one on the floor.

"But this isn't what we do." Shigure murmured lowly. "Our job is to maintain the balance between good and evil. To hold the line against the dark. We're not agents of chaos." He regarded Yuki seriously as the two held each others gaze. "We may be damned." He continued in a low whisper. "But we're not them." His gaze once again flitted to the bound prisoner on the floor before drifting back as he continued his slow, languid, stealthy approach. "We're not the demons here." His expression remained strangely stoic as he spoke. "We're the good guys, kid. Remember that."

Once again...Yuki was assaulted with silence as he was left to consider Shigure's words. That awful...deafening silence. Silence that seemed to cling to him now, wrapping it's arms around him possessively. Like Death itself.

"If you need further convincing to stand down, you could always take up this little matter with Uotani..." Shigure cautioned with the small makings of a sardonic smile as he watched Yuki visibly deflate with a small puff and a scowl.

"Fine." Yuki snapped bitterly, his voice crisp and curt as he finally acquiesced to this warning.

"Besides..." Shigure's voice manifested in a soft lull within the quiet, his once stern features finally smoothing over into a kinder expression towards Yuki's frustration. "Kyo said that he wanted to see you before he interrogates the prisoner." To this, Yuki's expression shifted as he gave the infinitesimal shake of his head and sarcastically breathy snort of a sign.

"...great..." Yuki grumbled with the roll of his eyes.

"Don't worry, kid." Shigure murmured almost empathetically to Yuki's reluctance as they both glanced to the silently still prisoner on the floor. "I'll see him the rest of the way." He gave a small, coaxing nod. "You go." A moment's hesitation lingered along the growing silence before it was filled with a small apprehensive sigh.

With a small nod of the head Yuki moved away from the crumpled body on the floor, passing Shigure as he did so before stalling to a stop once more. Hanging his head without a second glance behind him, Yuki's voice manifested through silent shadows. Cold and hollow as he uttered a soft, parting whisper.

"Because of you..." He murmured just loud enough to be heard by the two present. "...whoever you are..." This came course through taught lips and strained emotions. "...I'm never going to see my wife and child." Yuki whispered, the silence swallowing his words as the last came bit off and spat like vile poison from his lips. "..._ever_..." Without another word Yuki departed, propelling himself into the darkness.

And again...there was silence.

Until it was horridly marred by light, airy, almost maliciously chime light laughter.

"Ah, new recruits." Shigure's voice manifested through the jovial giggles. "So adorably gullible." He chortled in amusement as he approached the man still sprawled on the floor. "They'll believe anything you tell them." Shigure sank to his haunches where Akito laid, his expression contorting in mild disgust towards the sudden, overwhelming stench of putrid rotting cinnamon as he fanned one of his hands across his nose. "It it just me, or did you actually manage to become even _more_ rancid?" Fingers came to lace across his mouth and nose as he stifled a small, helpless gag. "Honestly..." Shigure muttered through his fingers. "...I'm having a hard time trying not to puke."

"Do you ever shut up?" This came lowly uttered in vexed irritation as Akito finally lifted himself from the floor to a sitting position, his arms still bound behind his back.

Shigure simply offered him a cheeky smile as Akito glared daggers at the grinning man crouched before him.

"Well..." He chuckled towards Akito's open vexation as the two held each others gaze where they perched on the floor. "...I've been told my propensity for conversation leaves something to be desired."

"Like silence?" Akito quipped in a slight snarl and curl of his upper lip as Shigure continued to laugh.

As Shigure continued to mock with his jovial laughter, Akito pushed himself further from his haunches to his knees, leaning in and broaching the man's personal space until they came chest to chest. Cheek to cheek in a closeness that lodged Shigure's laughter in his throat.

"Keep running your mouth..._Dog_..." Akito whispered this ominously in the man's ear as Shigure swallowed hard along this soft lull. "And I swear that I will personally hurl you to the deepest..." This came in a low, breathy murmur. "..._darkest_ chasm of Hell..." These words came cold, infiltrating the lack of space between the two men as Akito persisted, his lips mere inches from Shigure's ear. "...you..." Akito continued slowly in an almost voiceless whisper. "You who have embraced this calamity." The quiet of his deep voice came followed by the warmth of a sigh that caused Shigure to tremble imperceptibly. "Your fate will be most pleasing to me, Dog." A soft, darkly chilling chuckle followed softer words. "Cast into the pit where the worm does not die...and the fire is not quenched..." Akito murmured, his lashes fluttering closed in almost erotic exhilaration of this image as Shigure's own eyes began to widen. "...tormented with fire and brimstone..." Shigure shuddered helplessly under the weight of these words as his own lips began to lightly quiver. "The smoke of your torment going up forever and ever...having no rest... Day and night." Shigure bit along his lip now to stifle and stamp down the small, terrified moan threatening to give him away. "Because I will not hesitate in bringing about the second death for you, Soul Hound...in the lake of fire..."

Left to absorb his fate should he persist in antagonizing the man further, Shigure gave himself over to a shuddered breath as he felt the bound body pressing itself on him move away. Quickly reconstructing an easy calm as the two faced each other once more, Shigure watched as dark pools of liquid obsidian regarded him in slight amusement.

"I see that we've managed to reach an understanding." Akito smirked, an air of smugness now lacing his tone at having clearly made his point.

"Oh yeah... Sure..." Shigure hummed nonchalantly with a level of derisiveness, eyeing the man before him. "As long as you understand that I have what you want." He watched as those dark pools flickered with interest towards this statement.

"Show me..." This came a breathy whispered hiss drawn from Akito's lips. "Where is the final piece, Dog? Give it to me." Shigure gave a small simper and shook his head.

"I'd rather not." Shigure lilted in an easy tone. "If memory serves me...It didn't work out too well for the last guy who did that." He grinned towards the rage pouring off the demonic entity before him. "...but..." This came in a low, comically drawn out trill. "If you promise to behave..." He produced a small key concealed in the palm of his hand, flashing it playfully before dark foreboding eyes. "...I was planning on letting you out of those handcuffs." That almost deprecatingly gleeful smile spread along his lips as he continued. "But _only_ if you promise to behave."

A small...slowed nod of concession was the only reply to this as Shigure moved to unbind the prisoner's hands. Soundless fingertips worked their way along the shackles, gingerly releasing the man's raw, bruised wrists before Shigure was swiftly and violently backhanded with sudden, unearthly force. But before he had time to react and back away from the monster, his throat was ruthlessly clutched with such unnatural strength that it caused him to gasp and sputter as he was once again lifted helplessly suspended from several inches off the floor.

The two held each others gaze as Shigure found himself dangerously breathless, slipping and struggling against the vice like grip squeezing along his airway before a fiercely malevolent smile spread and widened along his lips. A voiceless, raspy bark of laughter forced its way from the constricted confines of his crushed larynx as Shigure watched revelation break along the demons face at the sudden precariousness of his situation. And the once concealed, unworldy firearm was pressed further into Akito's side as his expression hardened before finally releasing Shigure gruffly. A loud gasp broke through the silence before laughter moved more fluidly from lips held in the twisted smirk of a smile.

"What did I say about you behaving yourself...?" Shigure chided through a weaker, pained voice as he held the lethal weapon poised, aimed dangerously at Akito's head.

Akito scowled before Shigure offered up his piece, quickly stealing away the weapon from Shigure's grasp as the man held a cool countenance, producing another firearm before giving himself over to a helpless, airy chuckle and small smirk of a smile.

"Are we ready to get out of here, then...?" Shigure chuckled, taking in Akito's stoic expression.

"Not exactly..." Akito muttered darkly, eyeing the man's additional firearm. "I want that." And to this demand, Shigure gave himself over to boisterous laughter.

"No way in hell." Shigure quipped. "What makes you think that I would give you _two_ weapons?"

"Because..." Akito purred lowly in a deep...dark lilt as he approached Shigure to once again broach his personal space. "With my protection...you won't need it."

"And you really want me to believe that?" Shigure scoffed dubiously, scrunching his nose towards the unsavory smell.

"No." Akito quipped with the small smirk of a smile. "But _I_ know that _you_ know you stand a better chance of leaving here unharmed with my assistance." These words came like smooth velvet along his lips as he held Shigure's gaze. "I doubt the others will be so welcoming once they know of your blasphemous treachery, Dog." He murmured lowly. "And your odds are better if you give me that extra gun."

Shigure considered this for a moment. Thinking it through as he mulled it over in his mind. And the future laid before him was dark, and very grim. He stood to face a swift execution...or immediate revocation of his contract. Either fate left him damned to Hell...all the same. Aligning himself with the devil was his best option for survival, though he doubted that he would live long after his usefulness.

But this is what he had wanted.

What he had waited so long for.

The beginning to the end.

And so...he gave over his spare firearm, relinquishing the gun as he watched the foul spirit smile back at him.

"And you have the artifact with you...?" This came coolly whispered from thin lips as Akito's dark gaze was held transfixed on the weapons in each hand as he studied them in silent fascination.

"Of course." Shigure scoffed lightly to this question.

"Good... _Now_...we're ready to leave." Akito lulled before his expression fell cool and coldly stoic. "Stay in front of me, Dog." He softly barked this order as he turned from Shigure to stalk his way down the dark, dank corridor before him as Shigure silently trailed behind to catch up. "Make yourself useful as a shield." These words came laced in cool sarcasm towards the one who had decided to serve him. "When the shooting starts...run. And don't _dare_ get in my way." This came a dark utterance of warning through the silence. "I'd just _hate_ to shoot you." He paused a moment, a smile coming to him unbeckoned and unseen under the veil of darkness. "...by accident."

As they continued their stealthy approach in silent tandem out of darkness, Shigure strategically moved himself in front of the demon spawn to take point. Stalking closer towards light and sound, Shigure found himself holding his breath in exhilarated anticipation. His heart raced in his chest. His pulse quickened. All the signs of life he had long forsaken rushed through him in the waves of sudden thrill. This moment felt like the almost unbearable tension from a hammer of a loaded revolver who's spring had been cocked back. And all it took was the breath of a whisper from behind him to pull the trigger.

"...run..."

And he did.

Everything was a sudden rush of speed, light, and sound. Faceless screams and gunfire followed him as he ran this gauntlet of bullets. But he never dared look behind him.

He already knew what was there.

So Shigure did as he had been instructed, staying at point and running like Hell itself was behind him. And in the midst of the hailstorm of bullets, as unprotected and unarmed as he was, Shigure knew that some of the projectiles should have come closer to making their mark. But all he saw were the faces of his comrades in arms as they fell and parishes into flames and smoke, making their final and permanent decent into the bowls of Hell.

One by one these Soldiers of Providence...Shigure's comrades and friend...were laid to waste by Akito's hand. Keeping pace with the Soul Hound, Akito's aim was true as he expertly wielded and utilized both of his newly acquired weapons. Using the surroundings to his advantage, Akito effortlessly jumped up from the floor to the rows of desks to his left as Shigure continue to run at pace in the main aisle below. Akito engaged in an almost elegantly fluid dance along their surfaces, bounding up the columns from one desk to another as he continued to open fire.

One by one...Akito's enemies were vanquished in a terrifying rain of bullets as he propelled himself from one of the desks to cross the aisle in an acrobatic mid air spiral above Shigure's head. Landing along the surface of a desk to the right of the aisle he wasted no time in plunging forward into the fray. Running at pace along the desks, Akito's aim was true in dispatching brutal justice upon these lost souls given reprieve. Damned and filthy, he systematically sent them all to the very bowls of eternal flames as their judge, jury, and executioner. Right where they had been destined to go from the very beginning.

He was merely reclaiming them...

Another gravity defying leap off the desk launched his form gracefully into the air in a back somersault before landing right in front of his accomplice, face to face as his weapons came aimed directly at Shigure's head. The diabolical smile that spread along his lips should have caused the man to halt his run. If there had only been time to react. But in a single instantaneous flash, the bullets left their chambers and rushed past Shigure, barely brushing his cheeks in a feather light kiss of a mere miss before making their home in the two men directly behind him.

Favoring the man's forward momentum, Akito jumped in an almost grandiose somersault that allowed Shigure to move headfirst past him and take point once more. Circling behind, Akito used his speed to propel himself to the side as he ran to scale the nearby wall, giving him the advantage as he once again defied gravity. Running the length of the wall, gaining speed and momentum to keep himself suspended along its vertical surface, Akito continued opening fire before throwing himself into another dizzying back-flip and coming to land upon an unsuspecting soul. One who had been taken off guard by Akito's swift movements before being viciously attacked. As the man fell to the floor, face down with a foot and full weight of a body pressed along his back, Akito opened fire to permanently subdue the combatant. Execution stile. In the back of the head as the soul burst into flames and smoke beneath Akito's feet in his final decent to Hell.

"Akito!" The scream of his name reflexively drew the weapon in his other hand up in response, his arm thrown extended in the direction of this call.

Deep onyx pools followed suit, plunging into the depths of cold amethyst. The two held perfectly still in the deafening silence that followed the aftermath of this devastating siege, save for the rise and fall of their chests. Guns poised in each others direction as they stared the other down in a deathly dance of déjà vu.

"...always on opposing sides...hm, brother?" Akito whispered with the smirk of a malicious smile towards Yuki, his gaze and weapon never faltering in a moments hesitation to pull the trigger.

Again.

"What have you done...?" Yuki hissed through taut lips across the ocean of silence and hostility between them.

"Sathanus!"

The two snapped their heads in tandem to the direction of this new voice as Shigure threw Akito a desperately stern, almost pleading glare.

"We don't have time for this!" Shigure quipped harshly. "We need to leave." His words came inexorable as he held Akito's gaze. "Now!"

And with that Akito's weapon drifted to the side as he vanished with Shigure into silence and shadows.

* * *

**A/N: As always, thank you all so much to those of you who have stayed with this story. Through thick and thin. Through long periods of absence. Through updates of other stories. You guys...buy far...are the best group of people I could ever ask for as readers. Supporters. Backers. And friends.**

**To MoonlitAtMidnight, who in her last wonderful review had stated that she was waiting for Akito to rot away because he's been around for so long. Well...now you know. Akito's body is dead and...indeed...rotting. Hence the smell from the beginning. Also of interest, now you can see how Yuki survived going into the fray against the Yakuza with Akito before Akito killed him. And as a funny side note, I have to admit that during the whole scene with Akito opening fire and laying siege to the dogs of Providence, in my head was running "Skybreak!" by Propellerheads. AKA, the lobby shoot out scene from The Matrix. Ha. Ha.**

**As a side note, I am playing with the idea of sticking with this until it is completed. It should be about five more chapters...maybe. Close to an end. So my question to you all, is would you like me to focus on this until it is finished? Or are you content with me bouncing around with my updates? If so, what would you next like to see updated?**

**On a final note, here was the inspiration behind Akito's threat to Shigure and what awaits him. Straight from the source.**

**Mark 9:48 "where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched"**

**Revelation 14:10 "he will be tormented with fire and brimstone"**

**Revelation 14:11 "the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever and they have no rest day and night"**

**Revelation 20:14 "This is the second death, the lake of fire"**


	17. Vessel

Shallow, raspy breaths filled the small, enclosed space. Light. Thready. And growing fainter to the ear. And through the soundless exhalations, interlaced and encapsulated as if trapped, was that stench.

The putrid smell of rot. And of death.

The body sitting next to him lay still. So very still. As if Hell itself had finally come to reclaimed the demon spawn housed in this walking corpse. Palled features framed in jet black tresses came laxed and almost peaceful in rest, making this body appear all the more strikingly beautiful...and closer to death.

Shigure found it difficult to maintain his gaze along the road.

Having seen for himself the destructive force of this entity posing as human, Shigure knew that it would be foolish to let down his guard. Even for a moment. Even when the rotting body resting next to him in the passenger's seat appeared so weak and powerless. But _oh._..how his fingers ached to reclaim an amount of power for himself in this uneasy alliance. Level the playing-field to his advantage.

And...it would be _so_ easy in this moment... To do _just_ that.

Filled with a sudden rush of confidence, Shigure slowly unfurled the fingers of one of his hands to release the wheel. Slowly. Silently. His free hand drifted towards the unconscious body buckled in the passenger's seat. Fingertips silently stretched out to reach for the spare firearm resting along the man's lap, the other made irretrievable from this position.

But all he needed was _one_ of them to even the odds.

It was now or never. When the man's defenses were down. Gently grazing the unattended weapon in movements so inhumanly stealthy, s_o_ surreptitious, that they were bound to go unnoticed. Even by the demon spawn himself.

His fingers were _so_ close...

"What do you think you're doing...?" This came lowly murmured in a breathless whisper, the other unobtainable weapon now poised to destroy him completely, halting Shigure's itching fingers as he gave a small chuckle to the still lifeless body.

He should have known it wouldn't have been that easy to retrieve the firearm.

"Now that we're both out of immediate danger, I thought I'd be taking that back now..." Shigure mentally cursed himself for having fallen for such an obvious ploy. "...to protect you." And through a cautious side glance, Shigure witnessed the man's head languidly fall to the side to spare him an expression of disdain.

"After everything you've witnessed, _dog_..." Akito uttered ominously through the enclosed space of the car. "...you truly believe that _I _need _your_ protection?" Dark onyx eyes lingered dangerously along the man behind the wheel.

"No offense..." Shigure murmured in slow response as he kept his own gaze along the road. "...but you're not looking so good, there." And a weak, breathless chuckle manifested from the figure in the seat next to him.

Low...and oh-so-very condescending.

"Have you looked in the mirror?" Akito scoffed. "You're own appearance leaves something to be desired."

"Yeah, well. Providence doesn't allow us to choose our disguise." Shigure retorted almost sourly through a fake...ugly smile.

"Providence..." This came lowly spat from Akito's lips as his head rolled away, his dark gaze coming fixated on the passing scenery through the car window. "To think it honestly believes to hold _me_ in check." His voice came but a whisper withing the enclosed space. "How desperate the heavens must be..." He mused to himself. "...to gather the damned and depraved against me. It's pitiful, really." The reflection of his features within the car window revealed the small manifestation of a small furrowed scowl. "As if you could even hope to stop me."

"That's some big talk for someone that looks as terrible as you do." Shigure shot back mockingly. "I mean...you look like shit." He spat as his gaze remained forward along the road. "And I'm really not sure how you're planning to launch another attack against _anyone_ without my help."

"Do you have _any_ idea the unfathomable amount of energy it's taking me to simply _maintain_ the integrity of this body, _dog_?! Let alone wage my war." This came a swift, breathy rebuke from Akito's lips. "The rules of engagement don't afford me the luxury of living flesh like you have, Soul Hound." He spat harshly as his gaze once again fell and lingered along Shigure's form. "But believe me..." This came low, dark, and foreboding in its ominous tone. "...this body is the _only_ thing holding me back. And soon..." Akito murmured quietly as he stared Shigure down. _"...very_ soon. I will have what I came for. And finish what I've just begun."

"And what exactly is _that_?" Shigure asked quietly, sparing the man a small side-glance before his eyes returned to the road ahead.

"Perpetual darkness." This came a cold, hollow whisper. "My unending reign on Earth." Akito continued in a soft, deep lull. "But in order to achieve _that_ end..." He sighed, lifting up his free hand, fingers furling in front of his expressionless, almost ashen face. "...first...I need something a little more..._permanent._"

"Oh?" Shigure murmured as Akito's head listlessly turned away and towards the car window once more.

"I was so close..." Akito whispered...almost as if speaking to himself. "Once." His dark gaze lingered along the world whirling past him. "Until Providence, in its complete hypocrisy, interfered and robbed me of my vessel." This came a low hiss of disdain.

"Your...vessel?"

"Mm..." Akito murmured lightly through the ensuing quiet. "The human body..." He breathed these words, gazing at his splayed fingers once more. "Such a fascinating creation, no?"

"I know I enjoyed mine..." Shigure chuckled lightly through a foul, twisted smile.

"I bet you did, you lecherous dog." Akito quipped in a low voice. "Sins of the flesh are the most often committed by the weak willed...and their stain is the most difficult to remove from the human heart and soul." His voice dropped in cold, sharp chastisement. "I _know_ your sins, _adulterer._" He spat harshly. "...and can smell their lingering _stench_ on your wretched, defiled soul."

"Well, I've got nothing on _you_ in _that_ department." Shigure muttered under his breath as he proceeded to roll down the windows of the car.

Instead of perpetuating the argument by offering retort or a pithy comeback, Akito instead inclined his face towards the open window as the breeze lightly tousled his striking black hair. Relishing the feeling along his palled skin as dark lashes fluttered in response to the pleasant sensation before he felt the car slow to a stop.

"We're here." Shigure's voice dispersed the silence as Akito opened his eyes. "Right where you told me to take you." He murmured in the drivers seat before turning the car off and face the demon spawn. "You want to tell me why we're here?" This came questioned towards his current surroundings on the quiet street of a suburban neighborhood.

"I'm here to claim what is mine." Akito offered this cryptic response as he unbuckled himself and opened the door to exit the car.

Closing the door behind him, Akito turned towards his conspirator. Leaning himself against the car to speak through the open window, Akito held the gaze of the foul, disgusting wraith of a man in the drivers seat.

"Go to the abandoned warehouse where we first met." He gave this staunch order. "I'll meet up with you there." A malicious smirk of a smile played along his lips, trailed along his parting words as he moved himself away from the car. "Then you'll be witness to the end you've claimed to have waited so long for...Soul Hound." With these parting words Akito turned himself to walk away to the sound of the car's departure as he approached an unassuming house in the distance.

Steps came slowed and deliberate. One foot in front of the other as they began to scale and ascend the stairs to the front porch of the house. Extending his arm to reach for the door, it suddenly flew open without him having even touched it.

"Akito!" This name came wretched from lips held in a severe down-turned line as the petite figure flung themselves into Akito's arms.

Wrapping his arms around the woman, he rested his chin along the top of her head as he gave himself over to a small, breathless sigh.

"Tohru..."

"Where have you been?!" This came forcefully sharp in equal parts befuddlement and worry as tearful azure eyes lifted to meet deep, black obsidian pools. "You..." Lips trembled and quivered as those eyes gazed up towards Akito's face. "You never came to dinner... And that was almost over a week ago!" That cerulean gaze briefly flitted along Akito's body as Tohru quickly backed away from the embrace.

"Akito..." She breathed, producing a small gasp as a delicate, dainty hand laced her lips with slender fingers. "What _happened_ to you?!"

"Tohru..." Akito instinctively lifted his hands, fingertips lacing around the woman's small, feminine shoulders to anchor her body in place as he spoke. "Listen to me." His voice came low and serious, his expression severe. "You're in grave danger." He whispered before one of his hands drifted to gently graze her protruding abdomen. "_Both_ of you..." And Tohru's eyes grew large with fear as her body began to helplessly tremble with this news.

"What...?"

"We don't have much time, Tohru." Akito murmured lowly as he continued to hold her gaze. "You need to trust me."

"I do." She replied without hesitation, her voice as panicked and hectic as her eyes.

"Good." This came low and somber as the other hand drifted away from the woman's shoulder to release her body. "Go get your keys..." He instructed seriously, his voice cool and low. "...and come with me."

* * *

**A/N: Thank you to all those continuing to follow this story, as it has undoubtedly become my longest running work! But things are about to heat up, and I'm hoping that it won't be too much longer until the climactic end!**


	18. Rev 12:12

_[but] Woe to you, earth and sea,_

_for the Devil has come down to you in great fury,_

_for he knows he has but a short time._

_-Revelations 12:12_

* * *

_**'Akito!'**_

The agonized scream of this old, familiar name horrifically reverberated through the chaos of sounds and screams. Echoed off the rubble left behind in the aftermath of this assault from within. Yet he himself stood still. Unmoved and silent. Gaze haunted with what he had witnessed. What he had seen. And heard.

_'...always on opposing sides...hm, brother?'_

Those whispered words. Cruel. Mocking. Antagonistic, with the twisted smirk of a malicious smile. That smile...forever seared into his memory. Those cold, taunting words. That intimately familiar voice. Coming to wound him. Over. And over. And over again.

_'What have you done...?'_

Desolate, haunted amethyst eyes took in this scene of absolute devastation. Charred ash the only evidence and remains of the fallen. Souls now eternally damned. Their second chance permanently revoked. Their judgment expedited, forced to now fully endure their unrelenting punishment. The anguish and agony and very depths of the fires of Hell. Forever.

_'...what have you done...?'_

This rhetorical, accusing question now turned to heartlessly point the finger of blame at him.

Was all of this his fault?

Had he once again betrayed those he stood with?

In apprehending his old partner...had he been the one to damn those who had not survived this massacre of defiled, unholy souls?

...was he responsible for this..?

"What have you done?!" This scream shattered his thoughts as thick, dark lashes fluttered against this violent intrusion.

"...what..?" Yuki murmured through a numb stupor, his empty gaze flitting towards his new partner's engaged crimson glare.

"Where's the prisoner?" Kyo spat, Uotani looming behind him. "I left him with you!" He growled towards Yuki's silence. "So where _is_ he?!"

"He..." Yuki stammered, his words muddled with these thoughts and feelings that threatened to drown him. "...he escaped..."

"What?!" Kyo snarled, taking a hostile step forward as he grabbed the collar of Yuki's shirt to keep him from backing away. "You let him go?!" He practically screeched in rage fueled disbelief as Uo's overtweezed brows came to a concerned furrow.

"No." Yuki quipped, his own pallid features crumpling into a disgruntled scowl towards his partner's quick accusation. "I said he escaped." This correction came followed by more disturbing news. "And he had help." He muttered bitterly before roughly brushing away Kyo's hold of his clothing.

"What?" Uo murmured from behind her mask, her brows knitting together for a deeper furrow. "An inside job?" She asked, her intimidating brown gaze driving into Yuki questioningly. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah." Yuki replied lightly with the nod of his head. "Shigure was with him." He stated with a definitive tone. "And I'm pretty sure he didn't go against his will."

"Dammit!" Uo gave the soft hiss of a curse from behind her surgical mask before Kyo once again interjected.

"Wait." Kyo snapped. "The prisoner was with you the whole time, right?" He questioned angrily, his gaze penetrating Yuki incredulously. "I told you to take him to holding so I could talk to him." This came harshly snapped through an accusatory glare. "So explain to me exactly how in the _hell_ he was able to leave with that mutt-faced bastard?" And this blatant allegation of nefarious involvement in Akito's escape from custody left Yuki momentarily stunned.

Because it confirmed for him his darkest fear that he was somehow responsible for all of this.

But this thought was too painful. The guilt too heavy to bear. Again. So Yuki threw it away from him, as far as he could, embracing something else all together. An undercurrent of emotion he was growing grimly accustomed to.

Bitterness.

Anger.

Resentment.

This all-consuming, blinding hatred.

Yuki harnessed this, arming himself as he glared daggers at his new partner.

"Shigure said that _you_ had needed to talk to me." This fell cold and lifelessly from his lips.

As cold and frigid as the eyes he regarded Kyo with.

"I never told him that!" Kyo countered defensively.

"How was I suppose to know?" Yuki quipped frostily, his amethyst gaze cold as ice with a tone of voice to match. "When you left me alone..." He murmured before his voice dropped to a bitter hiss. "..._partner_..."

As Kyo lurched forward to meet this inflammatory statement with his fist Uo's agitated voice manifested to obliterate the tension of this moment.

"That's enough!" Her voice seethed in irritation as she spoke, halting Kyo's aggressive action towards Yuki in its tracks. "This _isn't_ helping!" Those intense, penetrating eyes glared at both men as she now commanded their attention. "We have a _huge_ problem on our hands, here." She snapped, her voice filled with heat and dominating authority. "And I don't care _who's_ fault this was! So _both_ of you need to knock it off, _right_ now, and pull your heads out of your asses!" And Yuki watched how Kyo's eyes fell to the floor and his ears burned with this submission and embarrassment.

"We need to regroup." Yuki heard this murmured from behind that facial mask. "I need to find out how many of us are left." These words came followed with that same intense brown gaze. "And you two _need_ to work together and find the prisoner." Kyo gave the dutiful raise of his eyes from the floor to meet the woman's gaze as he offered a small, silent nod.

"Hatsuharu and Isuzu are already dispatched in the field, dealing with the recent rise in demonic activity." Uo continued. "You need to find them and inform them of what's happened here." These orders fell so effortlessly from her veiled lips as she continued to arrange a plan of counter attack. "Team up with them to get this guy." Kyo gave another small nod as Yuki listened intently, the two having been strangely defused by being offered an outlet for their shared frustration. "I'll be sending Hatori after you in order to apprehend Shigure. So stay in contact." Her tweezed brows knitted together to shape a partially masked expression as she gave her final marching orders. "Now go!"

"Okay." Yuki murmured lowly with a small nod of his own.

"Yeah, fine." Kyo quietly consented likewise before Uotani stalked off to follow through on her part of the plan.

To find out who was left.

...who had survived...

So she wordlessly stalked alone with a strong yet gracefully delicate long-legged, gazelle-like stride. Her thoughts racing as she made her way to find the defector's partner. _He_ was back. After all this time, Sathanus had returned. Resurfaced, in a new form. And she knew that she needed to find him. Quickly. And discover whatever it was that he was planning. Because...she knew. Whatever it was that he had in mind surely spelled misfortune. For everyone. And if he had actually managed to recruit help from within, it was only a matter of time.

The recent, alarming uptick in demonic activity.

Sathanus' reappearance.

This _couldn't_ be a coincidence.

Something big-scale was about to occur...and she feared that he was somehow at the center of it.

As she brushed down another corridor, a few dazed survivors dashing frantically past her, one in particular caught her gaze. The one she was searching for.

Quickly approaching the man in the aftermath of violence and chaos, he came to tower over her as she tilted her chin slightly up to boldly hold his pale, emerald green eyes. His lean frame stood stiffly rigid as the two silently held each others gaze for a moment. Only a moment, before she spoke.

"Hatori." Uo murmured lowly in greeting as the man's cold, stoic expression remained unmoved.

"Ma'am." He responded in a flat, monotonous deadpan as he held her gaze. "I'm glad to see you unharmed." And to this, she gave a silent nod of thanks and reciprocation of relief towards his own safety.

"How many are left?" She asked, and the man gave a small, passive huff of a sigh through his nose.

"I don't know, exactly." He murmured impassively with the small shake of his head. "What happened?" This came with the subtle, almost imperceptible furrow of his brows.

"A breach." Uo stated bluntly. "A high priority detainee escaped." As she spoke the man listened dutifully, silent and expressionless as she continued. "And it seems your partner was directly involved." Her words dropped a little lower to reflect the gravity of this implication. "I need you to locate him."

"Understood, Ma'am." Hatori murmured quietly through that low, emotionless voice of his.

"Hatori." She called to him, halting any impending departure.

"Ma'am?" He questioned coolly, his pale, empty gaze regarding her for a moment.

"When you find Shigure...I trust that you know what to do." They held each others gaze once more before a silent nod of understanding was given and the man dismissed himself without another word between the two.

* * *

**A/N: Wow...where do I even begin? Seriously? Let me just say this to you all. November 27th, 2016. THAT...my friends...was the last time this was updated. And for that, I'm terribly sorry.**

**Now...for this chapter. This was really intended to have a duel pronged approach, with multiple functions. I wrote it to push forward with the plot and give the story forward momentum again, as well as reacquaint myself to the story as a whole.**

**And a huge, HUGE thank you to those of you still involved and interested in this story after all this time. I promised before, and I'll do it again. I will see this story to the end.**


	19. Veritas

**A/N: A warm, sincere thank you...to all of you...for making this the most highly reviewed story I've made. You have my deepest gratitude.**

**And on a side note, the title of this chapter means 'Truth.'**

* * *

"_The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist."_

_-Roger 'Verbal' Kint "The Usual Suspects"_

"Please..." This came a soft, whimpered murmur. "...say something." These words came weak with the faintest quiver of emotion. "Anything. Please." The voice persisted, laced in crippling fear and worry. "What's going on?" This came questioned through the overwhelming silence that continued. "You haven't said a word since we got in the car." More silence ensued in response to this persistent monologue as time seemed to move in slow motion. "Please...just _talk_ to me, Akito."

The silence that followed this desperate plea for answers filled the car. The only sound, the soft hum of the engine and light buzz of the tires as they glided along the paved road. To where..? Tohru didn't know. And a part of her was frightened by this. But...a larger part of her was even _more_ terrified of the sheer lack of response.

Akito had never acted like this before.

_Never_ like this.

And this dark secretiveness about him was killing her.

Whatever it was...Tohru knew that it had to be bad.

But despite that...she still wanted to know.

The way he had just disappeared.

Then suddenly showed up at her doorstep.

...just what was it that he wasn't telling her..?

"Tohru..." Her name was but a deep, low whisper from the driver's seat as she waited...holding her breath against the unknown.

...and that suffocating, noxious smell...

"There's something that I have to tell you. That I should have told you...a long time ago." This came through the same familiar, quiet murmur as it dropped in seriousness with the next words. "...about Yuki."

That name.

"What..?"

It had been such a long time since she had heard her husband's name spoken aloud. And it took her off guard with the way that it hurt. Hot and searing like the blistering end of an iron rod that had been plunged into the fire then mercilessly pressed against her flesh and held there. It was agony. The way that his name burned.

She wanted to scream.

Cry out.

Anything.

Anything at all...to release this pain.

Let it go.

"Tohru..." The utterance of her name fell heavy with concern. "...you're crying." This came followed with the swift side-glance of dark obsidian eyes before Akito returned his gaze to the road ahead. "Are you okay?" He asked monotonously through the small furrow of his brows.

"I'm fine." Tohru whispered breathlessly as she quickly wiped away the subtle tears that had managed to escape without her consent.

Maybe this would have been more believable had she blamed it on the pregnancy. Tohru instinctively rested her hand along her swollen abdomen, attempting to ease a little of the pressure caused from the seat belt before she was overcome with another sensation all together. A cooler hand gently placed upon her own where it rested on her unborn child. And a startled, almost pained gasp escaped her lips at how violently the baby stirred within her. Letting out a slow, thready shuddered breath, Tohru attempted to steady herself through this pain.

"What is it?" Akito murmured lowly, his dark gaze ever forward and transfixed on the road as he drove.

"The baby." She breathed lightly.

"Is it okay?" This question, though seemingly impassive in tone and emotion, held a level of concern that immediately eased Tohru's pain as she gave a soft, tender smile through fluttered lashes.

"Yeah." She managed to chuckle through another pang of movement. "The little bean is just really active is all." Tohru gave another puffed breath through the smile beginning to play across her lips towards his concern. "Want to feel?" And with that she slipped her hand from underneath his, allowing Akito's hand direct contact with her abdomen.

Resting her delicate, dainty hand on his, Tohru's head drifted back into the seat with another breathless exhale as thick lashes fluttered closed to veil her azure gaze. Thin, delicate brows knitted together in growing discomfort as the child in her womb lurched and vigorously squirmed underneath Akito's resting hand.

"Akito..." She breathed through the faint tremble of her soft lips as she attempted to stifle the tears threatening to take her completely under. "...what's going on?"

"Believe me..." Akito murmured as his hand slowly slipped from underneath hers back to the steering wheel, his voice low and dripping in seriousness. "...you're not going to want to know." This came ominous as he continued to hold his dark, galactic gaze along the road. "But I have to tell you." A small pause of silence followed this as Tohru gave a soft, contemplative sigh through her button nose.

"So..." This came whispered through the tentative quiet of the enclosed space. "..._tell_ me." These two words came equal parts desperation and agony.

"Yuki..." His voice came hesitant along the quiet as he paced himself, deciding how best to begin.

Not having missed the infinitesimal reaction of pain along Tohru's face as he gave a small sigh.

"He got himself into a lot of trouble." Akito murmured as he kept his eyes along the road, away from the woman in the passenger's seat listening to him. "He managed to get himself involved in some very dangerous..._very_ illegal...activities inside of the department."

"Like _what_?" Tohru questioned in complete disbelief with the furrow of her brows.

"He was investigating people on our task force." He responded lowly with the slightest pause. "_Without_ consent or authorization."

"Why?!" Tohru gave a stunned gasp through the soft tremble of her voice and lips. "_Who_?!"

"Oshiro and Nishimura, for certain." Akito replied quietly as he kept the vehicle on its course out of the safety of the rural city and into Kyoto's industrial area. "And many others." Another small pause filled the enclosed space between them before Akito continued. "He came to suspect that someone on our task force was somehow stealing evidence and selling it on the black market for profit." His voice dropped to but a whisper with his next damning words. "It got out that Oshiro and Nishimura were under investigation...and their livelihoods were destroyed."

"But Oshiro was his friend." Tohru whimpered in tortured dismay.

"Mine too." This came echoed in dark monotone.

"And Nishimura..." She gasped along a pained, stifled sob. "Yuki and I went to his daughter's birthday." Her voice rose and fell along the pendulum of emotions rushing through her. "We were in his home." She whispered as she finally squeezed her eyes shut against the constellation of tears brimming upon her lashes. "We were welcomed and made a part of his family."

"I know." Akito murmured grimly with the faintest nod of his head.

"Why would he _do_ something like that?" Tohru cried in complete disbelief, still dumbfounded by what she was hearing.

"I don't know, Tohru." Akito whispered lowly. "Yuki never told me about what he was doing. And I don't think he ever knew that I was aware of his investigations."

"I don't believe you..." This came but a breathless whisper, barely audible through trembling lips as Akito gave a small sigh.

"Tohru..."

"Please." She gasped a small whimpered moan. "Stop talking." This desperate plea came on the verge of more tears.

"Tohru." Her name came a little deeper and intent.

"I said _stop_!" This came more forceful as she squeezed her eyes shut with the slight jerk of her head, not having even noticed that the car had finally pulled over and come to a stop. "I don't want to hear anymore." She sobbed through stifled tears. "I don't want to know." These words came so defeated as her small, fragile body began to tremble.

"Tohru." Akito's voice came a calm, soothing monotone to ease her distress. "I didn't want to tell you about this because I _knew_ you wouldn't believe me." His voice dropped in seriousness as Tohru continued to keep her eyes squeezed shut against these awful words. "But it's the truth. And because of what Yuki did...we're _all_ in terrible danger." He whispered lightly as he continued. "You." This came a breathy murmur. "Me." He persisted. "...and the baby..."

"Please. I said I didn't want to hear anymore." Tohru cried out, her voice weak and breathy as she hung her head.

"But you need to know." Akito persevered in his explanation. "That wasn't the _only_ reason I couldn't tell you any of this." He murmured softly in the quiet confines of the car. "Yuki was my _brother_, Tohru. I had to have his back, no matter what. To the very end."

"Then why are you telling me now?!" Tohru weakly screamed, her heart throbbing in anguish.

"Because I care about you, Tohru." And Tohru gave a small, exhausted sigh through her delicate nose.

"I care about you too, Akito." She whispered feebly in response, her voice tired and somewhat hollow as she reciprocated this sentiment.

"No." Akito murmured flatly through a small, pregnant pause. "I'm in love with you."

This small, seemingly insignificant clarification came so plain. So simple. As if it had been in front of her face this whole time, and she hadn't even noticed.

When he'd come to her door for the first time.

...after...

And all the countless times he had come to her door after that.

How had she not noticed?

"...what..?" This came but a whisper as lashes fluttered open to take in Akito's passive, almost guarded expression.

"I said that I'm in love with you." He echoed this reply through the silence of the stilled car.

The furrow tugging down Tohru's delicate brows grew deeper with the strength of this quiet declaration.

When had _that_ happened?

As if somehow reading these thoughts from the very depths of her mind, Tohru heard Akito continue in that same low voice as he worked to avoid her gaze in the small confines of the front seats of her car.

"I've had feelings for you, Tohru." He murmured quietly. "For a long time, now." This came a calm, quiet confession as he persisted. "But because of my loyalty to your husband, I couldn't ever tell you that." These words perforated the delicate balance of this moment. "I just couldn't betray Yuki." Akito gave the soft shake of his head. "...not like that..." He continued to stare forward through the windshield of the car at the darkening skies and pending storm approaching. "And I saw how much you really loved him, so I resolved myself with protecting him." This came lightly murmured through that low, monotonous lilt. "Keeping him safe." Akito continued. "And making sure that he always made it back home at the end of the day." His obsidian gaze stared far off into the distance as he spoke before finding Tohru's heartbroken features, a small pause of silence settling along the moment before his final words were spoken. "I did _all_ of that. _Every_ day. For _you_, Tohru."

"Akito."

"But I failed you." Akito murmured quietly, halting Tohru's words with the infinitesimal shake of his head. "And I'm so sorry, Tohru."

"Akito, please." This came a helpless whimpered moan from her lips. "Just _stop_." The last word fell from her lips in a heartwrenching sob before she undid the restraints of her seat-belt.

The air was too stifling. Her emotions...too raw. The overwhelming odor mixed with the dizzying rush of these confusing feelings made her stomach violently lurch and churn against itself. Forcing the passenger's door open, Tohru pushed herself out of the car without so much as bothering to close it behind her. On her feet, her legs felt so weak and unsteady that she had to lean against the side of the car, facing away from the man still lingering inside.

The one who had just told her the most atrocious things about the man she loved before declaring his own feelings for her.

And Tohru felt her very insides crumble with the terrible weight of this revelation, because she didn't know how to feel about what Akito had just confessed to her.

About her husband.

And...about himself.

...how was she suppose to feel..?

Everything hurt. Everything ached as she heaved another tearful sob. Her husband was dead. And now his partner admitted to her that he loved her.

So how did she feel?

Was it so wrong of her to admit to herself that it was Akito's constant, unobtrusive presence that had been the only thing to keep her going after Yuki had died?

That his silent strength and support had been her pillar when she had all but crumbled under the weight of her own pain and anguish.

...that the warmth of his arms around her had been the only thing holding her together when her entire world had ended...

That...one day...she had actually stopped expecting Yuki to come through the door of their home.

That she had begun to look forward to seeing Akito, and his company had become a lifesaving salve to this deep, empty void where Yuki should have been.

But wasn't.

And now Akito said that he was in love with her.

So...did admitting to all of these things mean that she felt the same?

...was that really so wrong..?

* * *

**A/N: I am curious to see how any are going to want to throttle me over this chapter...**

**SweetLiars...gimmie a line. You know what I'm talking about.**


	20. Apocalyptic Love

_'I kissed your lips and broke your heart._

_[and] You. You were acting like it was the end of the world.'_

_-Anonymous _

Everything inside of her felt like it had just been shattered into a million, unrecognizable pieces. Jagged shards relentlessly cutting and shredding her soul as she heaved another gasped sob. Tears now helplessly spilling over as she fell to her knees just outside of the car she had fled out of desperation.

Everything hurt.

And this pain was unrelenting and merciless as it ravaged her heart.

Could what Akito had just told her _really_ be true?

About Yuki?

He had never spoken to her about his work. Ever. She only knew that what he did was dangerous. And she simply chalked up her husband's silence to his steadfast dedication and discretion when it came to his work.

Yuki just hadn't wanted her to worry about him.

But was Akito telling her the truth, now?

Could Yuki really have done such awful, terrible things? To people he called friend. Brother.

Could he..?

...would he..?

Tohru found it difficult to believe this, even though it had come from Akito's lips. But then, Yuki wasn't here now to say otherwise. And in the wake of his absence...these questions and doubts began to take up root and grow.

Why had Yuki never talked about his work?

Why would Akito lie to her?

She didn't want to believe him. But...why would he lie?

Tohru didn't know what to think.

What to believe...about her husband.

And this muddled ambivalence clouding her judgment tore her apart at the seams. Because it felt like such a terrible betrayal to even consider entertaining these dark thoughts about her husband.

Still. Worse than that. Much worse. Was Akito's confession. His bold, open declaration to her. About how he truly felt towards her. Because as Tohru knelt crumpled in on herself on the ground just outside of the vehicle...mere feet from him...she couldn't deny that a part of herself had slowly grown to feel the same. The part of herself that had somehow miraculously survived the sudden, violent passing of her husband. The only man she had ever loved.

...until now...

But could these confusing, yet undeniable feelings that she held for Akito really be love?

Could she really permit her heart to feel this again? For another?

Could she really deny herself this?

To feel, again.

For another man...that wasn't her husband.

And the mere _thought_ of this betrayal caused another pang of agony to rush through her, seizing her up in another wave of anguish as a broken sob passed her finger-laced lips. Grief over losing her husband and shame towards her budding feelings for Akito interlaced and entwined themselves so tightly to her that she longed to feel nothing at all. And this conflict warring within her fragile heart was _so_ painful that, for a timeless singular moment, Tohru actually found herself desperately wishing that she had just died with her husband.

"Tohru..." The low, quiet tenor of Akito's masculine voice came such a calming salve to her pain as Tohru gave a shuddered breath of response.

That...and nothing more.

"You have to believe that I never meant to hurt you like this." Tohru sensed his voice draw closer to her as he dropped to his haunches where she still knelt, crumpled to the ground. "I swear it." This came whispered lowly with fervent intent. "I was content with keeping you happy by protecting Yuki for you. And I never thought I needed anything more than that." His voice persisted next to her as Tohru held her gaze veiled through tear soaked lashes. "But with everything that's happened..." He murmured lowly. "With what Yuki did...and..." His voice dropped just a bit further as she felt him draw just a little closer to her, somehow able to sense her need for the protection he subtlety offered to her without needing to be asked. "...with you and the baby being put in such danger..." Another small pause fell along the moment as she felt him attempt to find his next words. "Tohru...I couldn't _not_ protect you. And...I couldn't keep you safe without telling you." He whispered lowly. "...everything... About Yuki. And about how I really felt about you."

In one swift, graceful movement Tohru leaned herself into Akito. Burring the front of her face into his arm to stifle the tears as his name manifested but a tiny fragile muffled sob.

"Akito." This came a desperate child's plea for comfort and solace. "I'm so confused." She whimpered another muffled cry against his arm. "Everything just feels so _wrong_." Her fingers lightly curled into the fabric of his clothing to steady and ground herself in this turbulent storm of overwhelming emotions. "It's like I'm falling." This came so weak and fragile, muffled against the arm she had burred herself in to take refuge. "Tumbling down a deep, dark hole. And I'm never going to stop." She gave another breathy, shuddered gasp of a sob. "and...I'm scared."

Without hesitation, Akito wordlessly responded as he gently maneuvered and shifted himself to wrap his arm around her shoulder, tucking her to his chest. And this action felt so safe. So right.

"I know." He murmured quietly against the top of her head, the vibrations of his low voice traveling down her spine to cause a pleasant tingle of electricity through her body as he spoke. "But you don't have to be. Not anymore. Because I'm here now, Tohru." He gave this reassurance. "I always have been...and always will be." He declared with the soft breath of a whisper along the top of her head. "And as long as I'm here _nothing_ is going to happen to you. I promise." The sheer strength of this declaration reverberated through her soul as she allowed her eyes to flutter closed, suspended and cradled in the safety of his embrace and this promise.

"I have another confession to make..." This came but a whisper as Tohru gave a weak, exhausted sigh, unsure if she could handle much more than what had already been hoisted upon her weary soul. "The night I came to tell you...about Yuki." Akito murmured as the two of them sat on the ground, huddled together just outside of Tohru's parked vehicle. "You remember how you asked me to stay?"

"Mmhm." Tohru hummed with an even softer nod, her head resting against his chest as the lids of her eyes began to droop in response to the soothing lull of his voice.

"The next morning...when I saw you first wake up." He murmured lowly through the tender quiet of this moment. "And you looked at me...and smiled." His voice dropped as she focused on the vibrations of his chest as he spoke. "I knew right away...from that look and smile...that it hadn't really been me you were thinking about." Akito whispered this as Tohru's thin brows furrowed against the memory of that one sobering moment. "Even before you told me, I already knew that it was the thought of seeing Yuki that had made you smile like that at me."

"I'm so sorry..." This came breathed in painful regret through the lens of what she knew now...and how that moment must have made him feel.

"Don't be." He cut her off gently, lightly shaking his head along the top of hers. "It was nice." He murmured. "To have gotten that smile from you...even once."

But Tohru knew that she needed to say this. What was on her mind.

"It's just..." Tohru whispered with the small flutter of her damp lashes as she gave a shuddered breath. "I will always love Yuki."

"I know." This came a low, monotonous response. "Believe me...I never wanted to change that." He reassured her.

"I just don't know if my heart will ever be able to love you the way that you love me." She whispered sadly, her voice filled with regret as she nuzzled into him.

The strong, pungent odor that always seemed to surround him coming a scent she had become somewhat desensitized to, though it still managed to make her feel slightly ill.

"But I _do_ care about you, Akito." She persisted, her voice growing in determination for him to believe her. "A lot." She squeezed her eyes shut just a bit tighter. "And as selfish as this will sound... I _need_ you." The tone of these words came laced in desperation as she continued. "I need you to fill this emptiness inside of me and all around me, threatening crush me." Her gaze finally fluttered open as fresh tears stung her lashes.

And as she adjusted herself to tilt her face upwards, her delicate features shaped in grief, Tohru found herself lost in the dark black orbs that met her.

"Tohru..." The intimacy of her name from his lips followed his hands as he lightly clasped her on the shoulders to gently angle her away from him.

"I'm just so afraid..." She whispered as the two held each others gaze through the gap of space that Akito had created to better look at her. "And I feel so alone...and hollow." Her gaze dropped to the ground in shame and defeat, away from the man kneeling before her as she continued. "...ever since Yuki left me..." Tohru gave the small, fragile hang of her head.

"I won't ever leave you, Tohru." Akito murmured adamantly through that infamous, monotonous lilt that she had grown to depend upon.

As the two of them stood suspended in this moment, time seemed to still. And Tohru felt a wave of calm wash up and over her to replace the sea of confusion that swirled around her. The calm before the storm. But she welcomed it all the same. Welcomed him...and the promise he offered. One of strength. Safety. Protection. And...

Love.

Love, in the face of her uncertainty to ever be able to fully reciprocate the sentiment.

And as the two slowly gravitated towards each other, she found herself welcoming this, too. A closeness she had just lost. One that had been savagely ripped from her. With a loss that left her broken and confused, with a future she felt so unsure of. But as the two of them naturally drifted ever closer, she welcomed this. His lips...against hers...only mere inches apart. So close to her now that she could feel his breath.

Their lips...so close to actually touching. So close...to meeting, in a lover's kiss.

* * *

**A/N: *smirks* ...as if y'all didn't hate me for the last chapter.**


End file.
